General Information:
Geothermal heating and cooling allows home owners to save money and conserve energy by taking advantage of the renewable energy stored in the earth.
- It is reliable, continuous, safe, secure and quiet
- Is renewable and sustainable
- Reduces energy consumption and promotes clean air
- Uses little land
- Has predictable costs; no price shocks
How It Works
Geothermal Heating and cooling systems work differently from standard furnace and air conditioning system. Furnaces create heat by burning a fuel--typically natural gas, propane, or fuel oil. With geothermal systems, there is no need to create heat, hence no need for chemical combustion. Instead, the natural heat from the Earth is collected in winter through a series of pipes, called a loop, installed below the surface of the ground. Fluid circulating in the loop carries this heat to the home. An indoor geoexchange system then uses electrically-driven compressors and heat exchangers in a vapor compression cycle--the same principle employed in a refrigerator--to concentrate the energy from the Earth and release it inside the home at a higher temperature. In typical systems, duct fans distribute the heat to various rooms.In summer, the process is reversed in order to cool the home. Excess heat is drawn from the home, expelled to the loop, and absorbed by the Earth. Geothermal systems provide cooling in the same way that a refrigerator keeps its contents cool--by drawing heat from the interior, not by injecting cold air.
Geothermal systems do the work that ordinarily requires two appliances, a furnace and an air conditioner. They can be located indoors because there is no need to exchange heat with the outdoor air. They are so quiet homeowners do not even realize they are on. They are also compact. Typically, they are installed in a basement or attic. The indoor location also means the equipment is protected from mechanical breakdowns that could result from exposure to harsh weather.
Economics
How much money can you save by heating and cooling your home with geothermal heating and cooling? A geothermal system will substantially reduce your home heating, water heating, and cooling bills. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, geoethermal systems save homeowners 30-70 percent in heating costs, and 20-50 percent in cooling costs. While it is expensive to install a geothermal system, it is typical to recoup two-thirds of the cost of the system when you resell your home, as the energy cost savings will make your home more valuable. Also while impossible to quantify, it will give your home an additional selling point that will differentiate it from other homes in the neighborrhood. Use the following tool to compute the savings.