| Geothermal
Heating & Cooling What
is a ground source heat pump?
Ground source
heat pumps (GSHPs) are electrically powered systems that use
the earth's fairly constant temperature to provide heating,
cooling, and hot water for homes and buildings.
How
do ground source heat pumps work?
Ground source
heat pumps have closed loops that can be installed either horizontally,
vertically, or in a pond/lake. The available land areas and
the soil and rock type at the installation site will help determine
the most economical choice (system type) for installation of
the ground loop.
An antifreeze
solution is circulated through plastic pipes buried beneath
the ground for closed loop systems. The fluid gathers heat from
the earth and circulates it through the system and into the
building. During the summer, the system reverses itself and
pulls heat from the structure and places it in the ground. This
process creates free hot water in the summer and produces a
considerable savings on hot water in the winter. |
