Geothermal heating is the direct use of geothermal energy for home heating applications. We humans have taken advantage of geothermal heat this way since prehistoric times. The thermal efficiency of geothermal heating is high since no energy conversion is needed. No fuel is needed.
Like a refrigerator or air conditioner, these systems use a heat pump to force the transfer of heat from the ground into your home. Heat can be extracted from any source, no matter how cold, but a warmer source allows for higher efficiency. A ground-source heat pump uses the shallow ground or ground water (typically starting at 10–12 °C or 50–54 °F) as a source of heat, thus taking advantage of its seasonally moderate temperatures. Geothermal actually has a distinguished history in the Pacific Northwest. In 1892, America’s first district heating system in Boise, Idaho, was powered directly by geothermal energy, and was soon copied in Klamath Falls, Oregon in 1900. A deep geothermal well was used to heat greenhouses in Boise in 1926. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, geo-exchange systems save homeowners an average of 30–70 percent in heating costs, and 20–50 percent in cooling costs, compared to conventional systems. Geo-exchange systems also save money because they require much less maintenance. In addition to being highly reliable they are built to last for decades. Ask Derr Heating and Cooling whether the benefits go geothermal heating and cooling make sense for you!
