Energy 101: Geothermal Heat Pumps

During this time of year, many homeowners and contractors are searching for ways to find new business and reduce steep heating costs for customers. One of the options they should consider during the course of their search is a geothermal heat pump, an increasingly popular energy technology that can help decrease energy costs while reducing their carbon footprint. On the U.S. Department of Energy’s Blog, the department posted this great video on geothermal heat pumps.

The way it works is simple. The geothermal heat pump system moves heat from the ground, which has a fairly consistent temperature year-round, to a building (or from a building to the ground) through a series of flexible pipe “loops” containing water. In the winter, heat from the relatively warmer ground goes through the heat exchanger into the building. In the summer, hot air from the building is pulled through the heat exchanger into the relatively cooler ground. Heat pump systems are so efficient that they have proven that they can lower energy bills by up to 70 percent over traditional types of heating systems.To learn more about geothermal heat pumps and if they’re right for your home or business, visit the Geothermal Technologies Program.