Heat is drawn out of the house and sent into the ground.
When my husband and I planned the build of a new home, we considered all different types of heating and cooling systems. We live in an area where air conditioning is the priority. However, there are a couple of months during the winter where heating is also required. We researched furnaces, air conditioners, boilers, heat pumps, VRFs and ductless split systems. Our hope was to find an option that would keep costs and carbon footprint low while providing for year round comfort. Initially, we decided against a geothermal heat pump because of the start-up costs. This style of temperature control is far more expensive than more conventional systems. However, the more we looked into the benefits, the more we realized that the bigger investment was worthwhile. The best natural gas furnace on the market achieved a 98% AFUE rating. Geothermal systems provide 400% efficiency ratings. The operation actually produces four units of energy for every one unit necessary to run the heat pump. This is because heat pumps don’t burn fossil fuels. They simply transfer heat between the outside and inside of the house. With a geothermal heat pump, the process takes advantage of the free and renewable energy source provided by the sun. The system pulls heat energy out of the ground and delivers it inside by way of an underground loop system. During the summer, the operation is reversed. Heat is drawn out of the house and sent into the ground. The EPA considers geothermal to be the most environmentally friendly method of temperature control. Another benefit is the ability of the system to produce all of our necessary hot water supply. We’ve saved so much money on heating, cooling and water heating that we’ve recovered the higher beginning cost in less than five years.