The Environmental Protection Agency lists geothermal heating and cooling as the most environmentally responsible method of temperature control.
A geothermal heat pump costs a lot more money to buy and install than a more traditional type of system.
It requires excavation to implement the underground loop system. However, once the geothermal heat pump is up and running, it achieves a 400% efficiency rating. The system actually produces four times as much energy as it uses to operate. It can maintain ideal temperature in the average 2000 square foot home for around one dollar per day. The heat pump takes advantage of the free and renewable energy provided by the sun. Because the underground temperature remains stable all year round, no matter what the weather brings, the underground loop is able to absorb heat and pump it into the house. During the summer the system operates much like an air conditioner, pulling heat out of the house and delivering it outside. The process of geothermal heating and cooling is exceptionally clean, quiet and safe. There’s no flames, fumes, combustion byproducts or greenhouse gas emissions. Plus, with the addition of a switch, the geothermal heat pump is capable of providing virtually free hot water. It also is excellent at handling humidity and works to filter out contaminants. In recent years, geothermal heat pumps have gradually become more reasonably priced and are gaining popularity across the country. My husband and I have enjoyed the benefits of geothermal heating and cooling for the last five years. Because the underground loop system is warrantied for fifty years and the heat pump can be expected to last upwards of twenty years, we have plenty of time to recover our investment.