Geothermal Heating and Cooling Facts

Have you ever wondered what geothermal heating and cooling are all about? With more than a million people using the earth provided heat, it can be easy to see how the eco-friendly home heating and cooling source will become even more popular in the coming years. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency supported geothermal heat as the most efficient and cleanest home energy source available. Here are a few of the facts surrounding the earth’s geothermal energy supply.

Solar Energy

The earth stores solar energy in abundance as the sun’s rays shower the land and oceans. With an ample supply of steady mild temperatures available between six and 100 feet down, it is easy to capture the constant energy source to both heat and cool your home.

Heat Pump

The main heat extracting component of the geothermal system is the heat pump. Since the pump transfers heat from one place to another using fluids that absorb the warmth, the geothermal system is an efficient and cost-effective system.

Open Loop

When a nearby water supply is used to provide the temperate fluid for the energy source, the system is called an open loop. Energy is drawn from the water to heat and cool your home in an efficient matter using the heat pump.

Closed Loop

The most common form of energy transfer in a geothermal system uses pipes that are laid down in the ground near the home in a closed loop system. A mixture of fluid is circulated through the four-foot deep pipes, although some areas do require pipes to be buried at a depth of six- or eight- feet. If the ground doesn’t allow for laying the pipe deep enough, two or three wells can be drilled, and the water then used.

If you are interested in building a geothermal heating or cooling system, contact a qualified contractor for more information on the building projects available in your area. Don’t forget to check for tax credits through your state and from the federal government.