With summer fast approaching, some homeowners are scrambling to replace their old air conditioners with systems that can deal with the heat. If you’re one of those homeowners, don’t make the mistake of thinking that a split central air conditioner is your only option for home cooling. If you’re in the market for a new cooling system, have a look at geothermal heat pumps. Read on for more information on geothermal heat pumps and their many benefits.
What Is a Geothermal Heat Pump?
A geothermal heat pump is a system that uses subterranean thermal energy to both heat and cool a home. It does this by utilizing a wide pipe loop, which is buried underground outside the house. The loop is full of water, which absorbs the temperature of the surrounding area. The further you get underground, the more constant the temperature becomes year round. At a depth of around 30 feet, the temperature remains at a constant 55–60°F. A geothermal heat pump harvests that thermal energy by circulating the water up through itself. In cooling mode, the heat pump siphons heat from the home’s air and vents it underground.
The Benefits of a Geothermal Heat Pump
The first benefit of using a geothermal heat pump is that it can act as both a heater and an air conditioner. This saves quite a bit of money that most people have to spend on an entirely different system. The second benefit is that a geothermal heat pump is one of the most energy efficient systems on the market, either as a heater or air conditioner. By using a geothermal unit, you will be vastly improving the energy efficiency of your home.
If you’d like to know more about geothermal heat pumps, call Sunset Air. We install and service geothermal heat pumps throughout Olympia, WA.
