Geothermal Heat Pumps

Geothermal Heat Pumps are a great energy saving technology. Traditional heat pumps utilize the outside air as the exchange medium for heating and cooling. While, Geothermal Heat Pumps utilize constant temperatures beneath the earth's surface as the exchange medium. "This allows the system to reach fairly high efficiencies (300%-600%) on the coldest of winter nights, compared to 175%-250% for air-source heat pumps on cool days." - The United States Department of Energy

How It Works

Due to a temperate climate many areas of the United States experience scorching heat during the summer and fridgid temperatures throughout the winter. While outside temperatures change daily, the temperature beneath the surface of the Earth remains relatively constant (between 45 - 75 degrees fahrenheit depedning on latitude). A Geothermal Heat Pump takes advantage of the constant temperatures and extracts the air beneath the surface of the earth through a 'Ground Source Heat Exchanger'. By extracting air that is it a constant temperature Geothermal Heat Pumps are able to heat and cool air of moderate temperatures instead of extreme gaps.

The energy savings occur by shrinking the gap (delta) from the outside air temperature and the surface beneath the earth. For example; Throughout winter in Pennsylvania (Moderate Temperate Climate) where temperatures can reach 0 degrees fahrenheit overnight, it requires far less energy to heat 'surface air' from 55 degrees fahrenheit to 70 degrees fahrenheit, than it does to heat 'outside air' from 0 degrees to 70 degrees fahrenheit. The shrinking of the delta from 70 degrees to 15 degrees fahrenheit is where the energy savings occur, and they are quite drastic.

Contact a U.S. Global Glow representative about a free Geothermal consultation here.