Geothermal heat pump systems, also called geo-exchange or ground source, are a type of cooling and heating system that uses electricity to move fluid through long loops of pipe in the ground. This moves heat or cool air from the earth to the house.
It’s important to note that heat pumps don’t make heat or cool air. Instead, they use a refrigerant cycle to move heat or cool air from the ground to the house.
Geothermal heat pumps can be added to systems like traditional forced air or radiant floor heating. It can also be put in a building that has just been built.
How big a geothermal heat pump needs to be, and how big the ground loop needs to depend on how much cooling and heating a home needs?
Geothermal systems are usually rated by how many tons of heat they can produce. A 3-ton installation will work well for the average home. But it’s important to note that the right size of a geothermal heat pump for a home depends on more than just the size of the house.
All of these things also affect how much a homeowner can expect to pay to have a geothermal heat pump system installed.
What is a geothermal heat pump, and how does it work?
Geothermal heat pump systems don’t move heat energy from the air. Instead, they use heat from the ground. Geothermal systems use a ground loop to get heat from the ground. These systems are also called ground-source heat pump systems. This system of fluid-filled pipes takes heat from the ground and moves it up to the home’s heat pump. From there, the heat is moved inside the home to keep it warm.
There are also water-source geothermal heat pump systems. This means they get their heat from a nearby water source with a stable temperature, like a lake or pond. The heat gets inside the house.
Geothermal systems pull heat from the house into the ground or a water source. This cools the house. Depending on your system type, the extra heat in your home will go into either the ground or the water.
How much does it cost to install a geothermal heat pump?
The average cost to install a geothermal heat pump is between $15,000 and $35,000. This cost would cover a complete geothermal installation.
Installing a geothermal heat pump costs between $4,000 and $8,000 per ton, depending on the type of loop, the size of the home, and the location. High-end ground source heat pump systems can cost between $30,000 and $45,000 for large homes.
Geothermal systems last twice as long as regular heat pumps and cost 25% to 65% less to run. Geothermal heat pump systems can save up to 60% of a home’s energy use. They do a great job of controlling humidity and last a long time.
As you can see, installing a Geothermal heat pump systemcan be a big investment, but you should have lower running costs once it’s up and running. Most likely, your electricity costs will go up, but you won’t have to pay for oil, gas, etc., so your bills should go down overall.
