How Does a Geothermal Heat Pump Work?

Because the earth absorbs 47% of the solar energy that reaches us, the ground is able to maintain a high rate of temperature consistency, making it a perfect natural source of heat.  Geothermal heat pump systems are able to tap into this stored energy and transfer it into your home using an earth loop and a heat pump.

You already have a heat pump in your home -- your refrigerator. When you put your hand near the coils on the back of your refrigerator, you'll feel the heat that has been pumped out from inside of it. It's the same principle that the geothermal heat pump uses to move heat to and from your home and the earth.

The heart of a geothermal heat pump system is a cleanly designed box that looks like the average gas furnace, except that it replaces the fuel burner with a refrigeration system that converts heat from the earth into warmth for your home. Geothermal heat pumps do use electricity, but because they only use it to move heat already available in the ground, they use a lot less than other electric-powered heating systems.

In the summer, the heat pump extracts heat from your home and sends it out to the earth loop, where it is absorbed by the relatively cool ground, or pond, if a pond loop is used.

In the winter, this process is reversed. The heat pump extracts heat from the relatively warm ground, usually warmer than the outdoor cold air, and pumps this heat into your home.

The result is much less energy needed to keep your home comfortable as compared to a conventional air source heat pump system. Even in the winter, a geothermal heat pump is much more efficient than conventional natural gas or oil heating systems, and because it does not require the combustion of fossil fuels, geothermal is much more friendly to the environment.