Geothermal 101

A geothermal heat pump is a clean renewable technology that helps a home or building stay comfortable in any season.  Below the frost line the ground maintains a steady temperature of 11-15 degrees Celsius.  This is due to the fact that the ground absorbs and stores the heat energy from the Sun.  Geothermal heating and cooling systems make use of the earths ability to store a vast amount of heat energy by capturing it and transferring it throughout your home or building.  

The two main components to the geothermal heating and cooling system are the heat pump and the ground loop.  The heat pump is the indoor unit and the ground loops are the underground pipes buried outside.  During the colder months, the ground loops circulates fluid and absorbs the stored heat and sends it to the heat pump, where its distributed to keep your home warm.  During the warmer months, the heat pump reverses.  It pulls heat out of your home and transports the heat through the loops and transfers it to the ground, therefore cooling your home.  

Geothermal energy is both abundant and renewable making geothermal heat pump systems some of the most efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly HVAC and water heating systems available.  And because heat pumps simply move heat and don't rely on combustion, like a gas furnace or water heater, they can reduce energy costs by up to 50 percent and produce zero direct emissions that contribute to air pollution and climate change.