This highly informative video by Bruce Ritchey, CEO of WaterFurnace International, details how geothermal heat pumps can be used to heat and cool homes. Not only is the cost less than with conventional systems, the systems are quiet, environmentally friendly, and require less maintenance.

These heat pumps use the stable temperature of the earth a few feet underground to store heat in the summer and use it in the winter. Thus, the energy to heat and cool the home comes from the earth itself, something which has obvious huge potential, especially in the Northeast where heating oil is becoming extremely expensive.

7 Comments »

Geothermal energy can be used to heat homes in the winter and cool them in the summer.

[The] ground temperature is warmer than the air above it during the winter and cooler than the air in the summer. The GHP takes advantage of this by exchanging heat with the earth through a ground heat exchanger.

As with any heat pump, geothermal and water-source heat pumps are able to heat, cool, and, if so equipped, supply the house with hot water.

They do cost considerably more to install, but can pay for themselves in 5-10 years and you then then have no heating and cooling energy expenses except for maintenance on the system.

2 Comments »