A ground source heat pump is a renewable heating system that offers an alternative to a traditional furnace. This article provides a basic overview of ground source heat pumps, and also describes some of the strengths and weaknesses of the technology.
Ground source heat pumps are a technology that provides a comfortable environment for people by leveraging the benefits of renewable and environment-friendly energy. In support of this, ground source heat pumps utilize energy that is naturally available and replenished and does not run out.
These systems function by pumping a water-based solution through underground pipes. The pumping activity results in the naturally occurring heat energy from the ground being trapped. This causes an increase in temperature, and the subsequent heat is transferred to provide heat for the home. To operate and provide heat, these systems do need some amount of electricity to run. However, a key benefit is that the technology uses much less electrical energy than the actual heat energy that it produces.
Conceptionally, the pump system generally performs the same role as a furnace in a traditional heating system. However, it uses the ambient heat from the ground instead of burning some type of fuel to generate heat. The size and amount of the underground pipe system required to heat your home will depend on the size of your home. Specifically, a larger home will require a larger underground pipe system.
While these systems are very efficient and take advantage of renewable energy sources, there are some potential issues that should be considered. Depending on the size of the house, installing such a system can be very expensive. The construction requirements of the system should also be considered. The work to dig holes and install the pipe system can be complicated. Moreover, the work can also take a long time to complete and be very disruptive. Despite these issues, this technology offers many significate benefits and should be investigated as an alternative to traditional heating systems.
