| A geothermal heat pump system works according to the usual refrigeration cycle—evaporation, compression, condensation, and expansion—to capture and disburse heat from and to the ground and is the most energy efficient heating and cooling system available now.
If there’s one device that is right up there with the major breakthroughs in studies around energy efficient applications, it is the geothermal heat pump system. The heat pump systems work much like the refrigerator; only they dissipate and absorb heat from an underground environment through a nexus of pipe buried deep into the earth. Much like conventional refrigerators these pipes carry fluid and can bring down energy consumption by as much as 70 percent. However, although these systems are designed in the manner of refrigerators they have one significant difference, which makes them better than their predecessors.
It is common knowledge that deep down inside the earth the temperature stays constantly high, irrespective of climate changes. The device uses a layer of earth, where the temperature stays constantly at fifty degrees centigrade. It therefore provides a very dependable solution, because unlike refrigerators, which transfer heat to the surrounding air, they are not affected by changes in environment. Which is why, this device can operate with as little energy as one-kilowatt per hour delivering as much as 12,000 Btu of heating or cooling. While, conventional a/c systems require energy in the amount of 2.2 Kilowatt/hour to produce the same amount of Btus. Geothermal systems can perform at a level, which is 400x more efficient over the best air conditioners and 200x better than the best gas furnaces available in the market.
In fact, there are several benefits of using a geothermal heat pump system. These systems require very little maintenance, come with ten-year guarantees, and run without any complaints for decades together. Some of the early adopters of these systems report that they have used these geothermal systems for more than 25 years and have made only a few replacements during the entire period. These systems also create very little noise and can be safely installed inside the house without any safety concern. However, there is one drawback to this device becoming the most popular heating and cooling device. A geothermal system requires almost 1500 to 1800 feet of pipes that have to be buried under the ground for a standard 2000 Sq Ft home.
Installing these pipes on flat grounds is often easiest, however, when they have to be fitted on rocky ground or such other difficult terrain the process often gets tedious. Such difficult installation processes can often cost a lot of money. However, in spite of the huge investment up front, a geothermal heat pump system usually ends up paying itself off in 5-10 years. What’s important to take away is the amount of energy that is saved through a geothermal system. Your investment is soon realized in your heating/cooling bills. A geothermal heat pump system is also extremely environment friendly and reduces the greenhouse gas emission by an equivalent of planting as many as 750 trees or reducing two cars from the streets.
The federal agencies now offer a one-time tax credit of $300 in the US and $3500 in Canada on the installation of an HVAC geothermal heat pump system. In fact, there are several organizations that have now come up with loans that help people make the initial investment of installing one of these systems. Even local power companies are offering incentives for residents and business who utilize geothermal technology to reduce energy consumption. |
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