While the name may sound a little "space-age," geothermal heat pumps are very "down to earth." To put it simply, you can use the natural warmth of the earth to heat and cool your home.
How it works
A geothermal system, also called a ground-source heat pump, works on a simple premise: the earth below a certain depth (the frost line, usually about four feet deep), is a constant temperature of about 50 degrees throughout the year.
Heat is taken from the ground and transferred to the air in your facility during the winter; the process is reversed during the summer.
The loops of piping are buried in the ground on your property, either vertically or horizontally. The ground loop is connected to a pumping module inside your building, where a mixture of water and liquid antifreeze is circulated through the system.
As the liquid moves through the underground pipes during winter months, it absorbs heat from the earth. When the heated liquid reaches the heat exchanger, it is converted through the refrigerant process to warm air and circulated through the building.
To cool your home in summer months, the system simply works in reverse with the flip of a switch. |
