What you need to know about geothermal heating and cooling systems

No matter how much the weather might fluctuate on the earth’s surface, if you go deep enough underground, the temperature stays stable at around 50 °F. Geothermal heating and cooling systems tap into this constant source of heat to keep your home at a comfortable temperature year-round.

How it works
Geothermal heating and cooling systems use indoor heat pumps combined with a series of pipes buried deep underground to regulate the temperature in your home. A fluid, usually made of water and methanol, continually circulates through the pipes.

When the system is heating, the liquid in the pipes extracts the underground heat and carries it to the heat pump. The pump then compresses the air to the desired temperature and distributes the heat through the home’s ventilation system. During the cooling cycle, the process is reversed and the heat in the air is removed and stored underground.

This type of system requires electricity to run the heat pump, but you can expect heating and cooling costs to go down by 50 to 70 percent.

Installation
Installing a geothermal heating and cooling system involves digging trenches to accommodate the required pipes. These can be buried horizontally or vertically, making this type of system suitable for both rural and urban developments. However, retrofitting an existing house may be costly and difficult as it requires digging into your existing landscaping.

If you’re building a new home or renovating, consider installing a geothermal heating and cooling system. It will provide an eco-friendly way to heat and cool your home, last generations and permanently reduce your energy bills.