Geothermal home heating systems harness energy from the earth. It is not a new concept especially in areas where winter can be harsh; houses are built within the earth with the earth’s surface usually functioning as the roof. This allows people to create a natural system of trapping heat and avoiding strong winter winds.

Underneath its surface, the earth’s temperature and thermal mass are constant. It is estimated that about 47% of solar heat is trapped by the earth . During winter, the heat is maintained under the surface. The geothermal heating system is maximized and put into optimal use when a house is near a geothermal reservoir.

Two Uses of Geothermal heating

There are two ways in which geothermal heat can be accessed through geothermal home heating.

1. Heat pumps depend on a underground pipes that contain fluids which, in turn, trap the earth’s heat. The pumps push up the heat and propelled into the house where a fan distributes it.

The system requires minimum power from electricity. The United States Environmental Protection Agency affirms that heat pumps reduce home heating costs by 30% to 70% relative to an all-fuel heating system. Heat pumps are described to be efficient, safe and operate in silence.

2. The other means of trapping geothermal energy is by building a house below the earth’s surface. With the use of technology and the modernization of architectural and engineering practices, houses can be designed creatively and in a structurally sound manner. This kind of houses provide protection not just during winter but also in the summer time when the sun shines at its strongest.

Geothermal home heating is similar to other alternative heating systems such as solar home heating and wind power for your home, the geothermal heating system entails a big amount of initial investment but the savings throughout and beyond one’s lifetime is very substantial.

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