Smart heating and cooling with geothermal

The sun’s energy is useful for generating electricity for your home. It’s also useful for heating and cooling, but not through the use of solar panel collectors. Geothermal heating and cooling systems also make use of the sun’s free energy using different collection methods. Ground loop components actually absorb heat caused by the sun from within the earth to heat your home, and deposit heat back into the earth for cooling.

Geothermal heating and cooling systems offer the highest level of energy savings compared to any home system. With geothermal, you can save as much as 70 percent on heating and cooling costs. This savings is made possible through the use of the sun’s energy stored within the earth, rather than fossil fuels.

Even when temperatures outside fluctuate, geothermal provides steady heating and cooling. It doesn't matter what the outside temperature is, because the temperature below ground always remains at a constant level. Usually, this temperature is between 50 and 55 degrees year round.

For heating purposes, geothermal heating and cooling systems offer the best return on your heating dollars. They are able to produce about 5 dollars’ worth of heat for every dollar spent for electricity. Even the most high efficiency furnace can’t do that. In fact, the best a high efficiency furnace can do is give you back about 98 cents’ worth of heating for every dollar spent on heating fuels; not much of a payback, is it?

For cooling, central air conditioners and air source heat pumps drop in efficiency as outdoor temperatures climb, which is typically when you want and need cooling the most. A geothermal heating and cooling system is much more efficient. Typically, they more than double the efficiency you’ll find with air source heat pumps and central air conditioners.

Geothermal heating and cooling systems don’t have exposed outdoor components. Everything you need is either below ground or housed within your home. Central air conditioners and air source heat pumps have outdoor components, leaving them vulnerable to damage, vandalism, and theft.