Geothermal Heat Pumps

Geothermal heating and cooling offers home owners better comfort, energy efficiency, and lower monthly utility bills
Home owners using nature's free energy are enjoying a high level of comfort and significantly reducing their energy use today with GeoExchange heating and cooling. That's because they're taking advantage of the geothermal energy found in their own back yards. This method of heating, cooling and providing hot water offers home owners better comfort, unmatched energy efficiency, and lower monthly utility bills. In fact, geothermal heating and cooling systems have proven to operate up to four times more efficiently than traditional systems. The Natural Renewable Energy Laboratory reports geothermal systems can produce savings of $300 to $1000 per year in an average home over conventional gas, oil, propane, electric resistance or air-to-air heat pumps.




WaterFurnace International, headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is one of the largest manufacturers of geothermal heating and cooling systems in North America. Their energy efficient product line of geothermal systems has proven to save homeowners up to 60% on monthly utility bills over conventional systems-an eye-opening alternative that's getting even more recognition due to the rising utility rates.

In addition, these systems are environmentally-friendly and provide safe, reliable year-round comfort without flames, fumes or a threat of carbon monoxide poisoning. Unlike traditional heating systems that generate heat by burning our limited supplies of fossil fuels, geothermal systems tap into an unlimited source of renewable underground energy and simply transfer that energy from one point to another-from the earth to the home in winter and from the home to the earth in summer. Their ability to move heat, instead of creating it, helps curb environmental concerns like acid rain, global warming, ozone depletion and other environmental problems directly linked to the burning of fossil fuels.

No matter where you live, the underground temperatures stay relatively constant year-round. Every home is literally sitting on its own energy source. Geothermal systems work by moving the stored underground heat energy using a series of fluid-filled pipes either buried in the ground, sunk in a pond, or used in a well. The solution in the pipes absorbs the warm, free energy of the earth and carries it to the geothermal unit, which compresses the extracted warmth to a high temperature and delivers it to the home. For cooling, the process is reversed, resulting in cool, dehumidified air. Only a small amount of electricity is necessary to capture the endless supply of free energy, keeping operating costs low. Geothermal systems can also be used to produce hot water for domestic use or for radiant floor heating systems, ice melt, swimming pools and hot tubs to further add to your monthly savings costs. Other advantages include its quiet operation, durability and reliability. They don't require the use of outside condensing units and because they have fewer mechanical components, which are sheltered from the harsh outdoor elements, they provide long-lasting and worry-free operation.

There are four basic types of geothermal energy sources:
Closed loop systems circulate a water-based solution through a "loop" of small diameter, underground pipes. Closed loop systems can be installed horizontally, vertically, or in a pond. Open Loop systems utilize an existing water well. Regardless of whether the system is open or closed, heat is transferred to or from the home to provide year-round comfort no matter what the outdoor temperature is.