Compared to conventional heating systems, geothermal heat pumps are more energy-efficient as they obtain heat from the ground. They use much less energy and while reducing air pollution. They are also efficient when cooling a home, which then save energy and money.

1. Getting to Know
Geothermal Heat
Pumps
Legacy Heating and Air, Inc.
23821 Old US 20 Elkhart, Indiana 46516
(574) 293-8444

2. Compared to conventional heating systems, geothermal heat pumps are more
energy-efficient as they obtain heat from the ground. They use much less energy
and while reducing air pollution. They are also efficient when cooling a home,
which then save energy and money.
Temperature Underground
Geothermal heat pumps have been in use since the 1940s. They take advantage
of the temperature of the earth instead of the outside temperature, allowing the
system to obtain efficiencies of about 300 to 600 percent, even on cold winter
nights.
Geothermal heat pumps can heat, cool, and even supply properties with hot
water. A geothermal heat pump system has a heat pump, a ductwork or an air
delivery system, and a heat exchanger or a system of pipes installed under a
shallow ground. These parts work together to supply desirable indoor
temperature.

3. Process During Summer and Winter
Geothermal heat pumps, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
work like refrigerators. They make a cool place even cooler by transferring heat to
a warmer place. In colder months, geothermal systems eliminate heat from the
heat exchanger and pushes it to the ductwork. This allows the heat in the ground
to go into the building’s interior.
During hotter months, the cycle is different. The heat pumps transfer heat from
the indoor air into the heat exchanger to move the heat from the building to the
ground. The heat accumulated from the building during the hotter months can be
used to heat water. This gives homeowners a free source of hot water.

4. RESOURCES:
 http://www.legacyheatingandairinc.com/
 https://www.nrel.gov/workingwithus/re-geo-heat-pumps.html
 http://energy.gov/energysaver/geothermal-heat-pumps
Suitable Areas for Heat Pumps
Most areas of the US have almost constant shallow ground temperatures. These
are ideal for geothermal heat pumps installation. Homeowners can choose from
different types of heat pumps systems such as closed-loop, horizontal, vertical,
and pond/lake. The right type of system will depend on available land, soil
conditions, climate, and local installation cost.
The main concern about geothermal heat pumps, of course, is the installation
price. While it is true that a geothermal system costs several times higher than an
air-source system, it offers energy savings equivalent to five to 10 years. The life
of the system, which include the inside component, can last for about 25 years,
and more than 50 years for the ground loop.