Geothermal

What are the benefits of having a geothermal heat pump installed?

 

Efficiency

In comparison with a conventional electric or natural gas heating system, a geothermal heat pump can cut your annual space heating costs by about 50% to 70%. To compare the cost of home heating, see Manitoba Hydro's Typical Home and Water Heating Chart on their website.

www.earthpowerprogram.ca

 

Environmentally friendly

Soil temperatures below the frost line have a relatively stable year-round temperature. Geothermal heat pumps draw on these soil temperatures to heat or cool your home, thereby minimizing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Versatility

Geothermal heat pumps move heat into the house in winter and out of the house in summer, eliminating the need for separate air conditioning.

 

Reliability

With more than one million geothermal units in operation worldwide, geothermal heat pumps have proven they are a reliable technology in a variety of climates.

Comfort

Compare to conventional heating systems, a geothermal heat pump system generally stays on longer and warms air in lower temperature rises. This provides more consistent and even heat distribution throughout your home. Some customers have said that even if they didn't save a single cent, they would still install a geothermal heat pump for sheer comfort.

Download CGC Geothermal Buyers Guide

How does a
geothermal heat pump work?

A geothermal heat pump moves heat into or out of the earth using water wells or a network of high-density polyethylene pipes buried in horizontal trenches or vertical boreholes.

The pipes carry a heat transfer fluid (usually comprised of water and antifreeze) that is pumped through the ground loop and geothermal heat pump unit within the home. The heat transfer fluid extracts heat (heating mode) from the earth surrounding the ground loop.

The refrigeration system in the geothermal heat pump unit upgrades the heat, which is then distributed thoughout the home via a forced air (ductwork) or hydronic (hot water space heating) system. In a heat pump, the refrigeration system provides both the heating and cooling functions.

A geothermal heat pump system often contains an auxiliary electric heater to provide additional heat on extremely cold days.

Geothermal heat pumps may also include a device known as a desuperheater to help with domestic hot water heating. In summer, the desuperheater recovers some of the heat that would otherwise be sent to the ground loop, to help produce hot water. In winter, some of the capacity of the heat pump may be diverted from space heating for the same purpose.

A geothermal heat pump requires the following three components to provide heating and cooling for your home:

1. A ground loop (buried piping or water well system)
2. The heat pump furnace unit (in mechanical/utility room of the home)
3. A distribution system (forced air ductwork or hydronic hot water space heating)