Get Green Heating with Geothermal Heating Systems

Geothermal heating has become more popular across the world, and the demand for geothermal units is starting to rise in the U.S. The popularity is driven not only by the desire for green heating and cooling, but by energy savings as well.

What is Geothermal Heating?

Put very simply, geothermal heating and cooling makes use of the earth's natural heat by transferring that energy from the earth to your home. The system begins with a ground loop, or a long pipe that has been placed deep in the ground. Liquid is circulated through the loop, and that liquid absorbs the heat from the surrounding ground. It then carries the heat back to the home, where it reaches the heat pump.

The heat pump pulls in the heat from the liquid and puts it through something similar to a refrigerant process. After cycling through the pump, the heat is then transferred into powering your heating system, such as radiant floors or forced air.

Green Heating and Energy Savings

There are many reasons to choose a geothermal heat pump for your home.

• Reliable operation. Maintenance on a heat pump is simple, and since most of the system is underground and protected from the elements, there are few repair worries with a geothermal heating system.
• Green heating. The heat used by your geothermal heat pump comes from deep within the earth and is completely renewable. The sun heats the earth, the earth warms, and your geothermal pump takes advantage of it.
• Excellent efficiency. The geothermal heating system are highly efficient, creating up to 4 times the amount of heat for the amount of energy it takes in. With an efficiency of up to 450%, geothermal units are considered the most energy-efficient option on the market.
  
• Bottom line energy savings. Geothermal heating systems can drive your heating cost down by 50 to 70 percent. Depending upon the size of your home and your energy needs, the geothermal unit can pay for itself within 3 to 5 years.

Costs of a Geothermal Heating System

The costs of geothermal heating system vary depending upon the size of your home and the configuration of pipes in the ground. A good rule of thumb is an estimate of $2,500 dollars for every ton of capacity. The typical home uses a 3-ton unit for a basic cost of $7,500. However, there is the additional cost of drilling for the ground loop. Anywhere between $10,000 and $30,000 for drilling is a good rough estimate.