How Does Geothermal Heating Work?

In theory, geothermal heating sounds like a neat idea. You get heat from the earth’s core and pump that heat into your home during the winter months. This process uses less power than your regular HVAC system and can save you up to 75% on energy bills. How exactly does it work?

There Are Several Ways To Access the Heat

Access routes involve drilling into the earth, toward the heat source. However, there are two residential options to consider depending on geographical factors. Ground-source geothermal energy requires drilling into the ground and using pipes and pumps to bring the hot air into the home. Direct geothermal energy involves accessing hot water already close to the surface for washing, heating and bathing.

It Works Both Ways

Most people think that geothermal systems only heat up a home. This notion is false. You can use the same principles from geothermal heating to cool a home. The system merely recirculates the air to create the desired effect in the interior of your home. It is important to note that geothermal systems neither generate hot nor cold air. They simply bring the regulated, constant temperature of the ground into your home and remove the too-hot or too-cold air.

It Is a Renewable Energy

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, but not with geothermal systems. There is no catch to how much these systems save you on bills. The savings come from the fact that the heat in the earth’s core is a renewable energy source. It cannot be exhausted and pumping the heat into your home does not affect the earth’s core temperatures.

Like most sustainable system upgrades for your home, geothermal heating does require a substantial capital investment. Even so, your bank is likely to be eager to fund this because it increases the value of your home and pays for itself in energy savings in just a few years.