Geothermal Heat Pumps

Geothermal Heat Pumps - Cost Effective and Environmentally Sound by Ryan McCall

A Geothermal Heat Pump (GHP) is an apparatus that extracts heat from below the surface of earth. It works on the principle that heat flows from higher temperature substances to lower temperature substances via conduction or via convection (air currents). Geothermal Heat Pumps take in heat from the earth or water bodies to provide space and water heating. This works since the earth traps nearly half the sun's energy that is received by the earth.

Taking advantage of the earth's ability to store thermal energy, ground source heating and cooling is inexpensive and environmentally friendly while still providing lots of heat. These pump systems can either pump heat from the ground into a building, or in warmer weather, from the building back into the ground. It doesn't take much electricity to run the pumps and fans, along with a compressor.

Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) are among the most efficient and comfortable heating and cooling technologies currently available for homes and other buildings. These ground-source heat pumps use the natural heat storage capacity of the earth or ground water to provide energy efficient heating and cooling. Most GHPs are installed with "Desuperheaters" which collect waste heat from the compressor and use it to pre-heat domestic hot water for free. This is a new money-saving technology for homes.

It can cost several times to install a geothermal heating and cooling system, compared to the traditional kind. However, those costs are recovered over the next five to ten years, in the form of saving on energy costs. The interior components of these systems can easily last twenty-five years, and the piping in the ground can last fifty years. These systems are practical in most areas, and about 50,000 new systems are put in every year. They heat in the winter, and cool in the summer.

Many newer housing systems come with desuperheaters which take out warm air from the heat pump's compressor and use it to heat your water. The only downside is that when not using your compressor it will not provide the hot water because it is not running. Some companies are also giving a system with a separate heater during times of non use because the geothermal heating systems are such a money saver and so much more efficient.

Geothermal Heat Pumps are among the most efficient and comfortable heating and cooling technologies currently available for homes and other buildings. These Geothermal Heating Systems use the natural heat storage capacity of the earth or ground water to provide energy efficient heating and cooling.

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