GeoThermal is a way of heating and cooling your home that uses the temperature of the earth to significantly reduce the amount of energy needed. If a home currently uses oil or gas, it will eliminate the need to purchase these fuels for heating permanently. The term GeoThermal may also be used in reference to producing electricity from the Earth, for the purpose of this website, we are only referring to home heating and cooling.
Geo – coming from
the Greek word “gaia” meaning earth
Thermal – coming
from the Greek word “therme” meaning heat
Directly translating GeoThermal means “earth heat” which is
a very good description of the process which the word describes.
GeoThermal may also be referred to as:
GeoExchange
Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP)
GeoExchange Heat Pump (GHP)
The GeoThermal heating and cooling that I am focusing on in
this website is a way of heating a cooling your home using the constant temperature
of the earth. You may come across
GeoThermal electricity which is a way of producing electricity from the earth’s
temperature, but this is not what I am referring to.
Approximately 15 feet below the surface of the earth there
is a consistent temperature year round.
In the northeast it is between 50 and 60 degrees F (10 to 15.5 degrees
c).
In the winter, a water loop pulls heat from the earth and
brings it to your home. In the
summer, the reverse process takes place where the system pulls the heat from
your home and deposits it into the earth.
For more detail please look at our “How Does Geothermal Work” section.