A refrigerant loop with a compressor extracts heat from one side (the ground) and pumps it to the heating loop in your home. It is essentially the same process that happens in your refrigerator: heat is extracted via a compressor and refrigerant loop from the inside of your refrigerator/freezer and rejected into your house.
In the summer the geothermal heat pump reverses its cycle, if you have an air-conditioning system, and heat from the home is rejected into the ground or ground water.
What makes geothermal heat pumps such a good choice for residential heating and cooling is that they do not depend on outside air temperatures. These heat pumps will heat your home as efficiently on a windy, zero-degree winter day as on a 40-degree day. Provided of course, that your house is well insulated and tight.
Geothermal heat pumps are also a very efficient way for heating and cooling your home. They use 25-50% less energy than conventional heating and cooling systems (Source: US DOE).
Residential applications of geothermal energy systems use water-to-water or water-to-air heat pumps.
Water-to-Water Geothermal Heat Pumps
Water-to-water geothermal heat pumps are generally used for heating only. They replace the gas or oil furnace that you might currently have to heat your home and water with.
It is important to know that heat pumps work most effectively when the temperature difference between the heat source (ground) and heat sink (floor heat or radiators) is small.
Ground temperatures range anywhere from 50 to 75 degF, depending on where you live. This means that geothermal heat pumps are generally not suitable for standard hot water baseboard applications, which are designed for heating water temperatures of 180 degF. Floor heat and low-temperature radiators require water temperatures in the range of 95 to 140 degF.
Some newer heat pump models are now equipped with so-called desuperheaters that can transfer excess heat from the geothermal heat pump compressor to the domestic water heater. Your geothermal heat pump can also effectively and quickly heat water for your bathtub, shower and sinks.
Water-To-Air Geothermal Heat Pumps
These types of ground source heat pumps are generally used when you need air conditioning. The Water is the heat sink, where you reject the heat from the house. The Air is the air that is distributed through your home via ductwork.
Otherwise, these heat pumps function the same way as water-to-water heat pumps. And again, the efficiency of a geothermal heating and cooling system is far better than that of a traditional system.
Important To Know
The first step towards making a geothermal heat pump system be a reliable and efficient heating (and cooling) system for your home is to minimize the heating and cooling requirements with a well-insulated building envelope and strategically placed windows for passive solar gain.
Not only is your first cost reduced, because your system will be smaller. You will also tremendously increase the comfort of your home.
Geothermal heat pump systems are best designed and installed by professionals. It is not recommended to DIY. These systems must meet specific requirements. Especially the piping laid out in the ground, or down to the ground water table, must be designed and installed correctly to ensure that your geothermal heat pump system works as intended.
There are a couple of things that geothermal heat pumps can do for your home. The first and probably the most important is their ability to help the environment. The other thing that you will benefit from using geothermal heat pumps in your home is a decrease in your energy bills. Those savings will certainly help to eliminate the cost of installing a system in your home.
The methods that the geothermal heat pumps use are very similar to a standard heat pump. The only difference is the energy that is used is derived from the heat in the earth. A standard heat pump will heat the air to provide the heat and hot water. The geothermal heat pump uses the heat contained in the earth to heat. A standard heat pump is not as efficient as a geothermal one. The cost to use this type of system will be higher in the beginning, but when you consider the savings in your heat bill you will outweigh the cost.
For those who are looking for a new home, finding a house that includes geothermal heat pumps might be the thing that clinches the deal. You might want to consider putting it on your list of things to look for in your new home. Energy efficiency is a big consideration when you are shopping for a new home. Everyone is becoming more aware of the high costs of energy and ways that usage can be reduced. Geothermal heat pumps in your new home are just one of the ways that you can conserve energy and help the environment.
Your contractor will need to be experienced in the installation of these types of pumps. It is important that you look into their references and experience before you hire them to install your geothermal heat pump.
It is very important that you keep your heating and cooling system well maintained. The contractor who installed your geothermal heat pump can probably take care of that for you. It is as important to maintain your equipment, as it is to have the correct heating and cooling equipment. If you hire someone to maintain your heating system, you should consider using him or her for all of your maintenance. This will allow you to establish a consistent relationship with the maintenance business. Once they get to know your system they will be able to detect any problems that have arisen in between checks.
Insulation in your home is also an important consideration when you are heating and cooling. You should make sure that all of the heat that you generate is not leaking out of your home as quickly as your geothermal heat pump can produce it. You will lose all of your energy savings with a poorly insulated home. Get your house in tiptop shape with insulation and an efficient heating and cooling system. Once you have zipped up your home and installed the heat pump you will find that your energy bills have decreased dramatically.
Both Christiane Perrin & Joshua Drew are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Christiane Perrin has sinced written about articles on various topics from Room Furniture, Home Improvement and Guide Guitar. Christiane Perrin is a registered professional HVAC engineer with a passion for the environment. She is excited about the building industry going green and wants to support homeowners on their journey to building and remodeling green homes.. Christiane Perrin's top article generates over 3600 views. to your Favourites.
Joshua Drew has sinced written about articles on various topics from Environment, Pink Sheets and Arts. Joshua Drew is a Energy Guru. While he isn't playing around with the newest of Energy gadgets, he can be seen at his local college taking English courses.Find more information on his website at. Joshua Drew's top article generates over 4400 views. to your Favourites.