Geothermal Energy Heating

A Look At Geothermal Heating

Today I’d like to share some facts about geothermal heating that you might not be aware of. Did you know that you don’t have to live on or near any land that has volcanic activity to make use of this renewable energy source? It’s true! Anyone who has dirt under their house can harness the power of the heat that is stored in the earth.

You might be thinking that the earth under your house isn’t very warm so how could this be true. Well, here’s how it works. At a depth of about 30 feet below the surface of the earth, the ground temperature is the same all year round in all parts of the world. This is the depth that you have to get to before you reach dirt that isn’t effected by the surface temperatures.

At this depth, the temperature will be about 55 degrees Fahrenheit and depending on the temperature at the surface, this will be enough to heat your home! The way this works is that a closed loop of pipes is buried at least 30 feet deep. Then a device called a geothermal heat pump circulates a carrier fluid that is usually a mixture of water and anti-freeze.

As this carrier liquid passes through the ground it absorbs heat. When it reaches the surface, the geothermal heat pump uses electricity to extract the heat from the liquid. Believe it or not, it is more energy efficient to extract the heat from this liquid than it is to heat the air at the surface.

When the heat has been extracted from this liquid, the liquid is pumped back through the loop of pipes where it once again absorbs heat. This cycle repeats itself over and over; continually providing low cost heat for you and your family to enjoy.

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