Geothermal heating has been a buzz word lately for homeowners interested in going ‘green’ and saving money on their heating and cooling costs.  So what exactly is geothermal heating and how does it work?

Remarkably, this concept of heating and cooling has been used for centuries.  That’s because the earth maintains a fairly constant temperature of 54 degrees about 10 feet below the surface of the ground.  It’s easy to tap into this energy to provide heating in the winter and cooling in the summer.

How does geothermal heating work?

Tapping into the earth’s heat involves digging a hole to contain a loop of pipes.  This series of pipes is then filled with a heat absorbing fluid (often water and antifreeze) that constantly runs through the pipes.  In the winter, heat from the ground is absorbed into the pipes and pushed upward where it can be distributed throughout the house using what’s called a geothermal heat pump (GHP.)  During the summer months, the process is reversed.  Heat from the home is absorbed and transferred to the ground.

Benefits of geothermal heating.

There are numerous benefits to this type of heating and cooling.  It’s estimated that homeowners can save up to 70% off their heating and cooling costs compared to traditional heating systems.  Geothermal systems do not use oil or gas, and are 100% non-polluting to run.  While geothermal systems cost more up-front to install, homeowners can typically see those savings returned in five to 10 years.  These systems have an estimated life of 25 years for inside components and more than 50 years for the pipes underground – so you can how the costs savings really add up!

It’s estimated that 50,000 geothermal systems are being installed in the U.S. each year.  To learn more about if this system is the right heating and cooling option for you, give us a call 216-663-6462.