These days, unfamiliar terms can fly through the HVAC industry and can prove baffling to homeowners. Although the geothermal heat pump is a somewhat familiar product, many people still don’t understand how cooling your home with this system actually works. Unlike the average heat pump, a geothermal model cools homes by conducting heat transfer with the ground outside your home. Not sure exactly how that works? Learn how a geothermal heat pump can benefit your Chesapeake, VA, home.
How Does it Work?
To understand geothermal cooling, you first need to appreciate how a standard heat pump works. Rather than generating its own temperature, a heat pump moves heat from place to place. Air-source heat pumps draw or disperse heat from and into the air.
In contrast, a geothermal heat pump works with the temperature of the earth. Just a few feet under the surface of your soil, the temperature remains at a relatively constant temperature year-round. When this heat pump cools your home, it uses heat energy to move refrigerant or another liquid via ground loops to provide the air conditioning you need. Cooled refrigerant is then cycled back into your home, and fans blow the cool air into your living space.
Pros and Cons of the Technology
Without reliance on any kind of fuel, these heat pumps are energy efficient and require less maintenance than other cooling systems. Many owners of this type of technology also enjoy how quietly the unit runs in comparison to a standard air conditioner.
However, cooling using this technology does come with some caveats. You will need sufficient yard space to install the vertical or horizontal loops. The horizontal loops will require even more space. Geothermal systems are also quite expensive to install initially.
Like anything else, geothermal systems have pros and cons. For more information about geothermal systems and having one installed, don’t hesitate to contact the experts at Weather Makers, Inc. Call 757-263-4869 today to speak with one of our knowledgeable and experienced technicians.
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