21st Century Homes, Inc.
Geothermal Heat Pumps (GHPs)
A Geothermal Heat Pump (GHP) is an electrically powered device that, in a highly efficient way, creates a comfortable climate in your home, every month of the year. Using common refrigeration technology, your geothermal system works both as a furnace and as an air conditioner. Savings on your energy bill from using a GHP will typically range between 50% and 70% per year, when compared to conventional systems.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that geothermal heat pumps are the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost effective space conditioning system available (source: “Space Conditioning: The Next Frontier,” EPA 430-R-93-004, April 1993).
More than half a million GHP systems have been installed in the United States and the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) estimates 2 million will be installed (cumulative) by the end of 2005. This will save consumers $400 million in energy bills (source: “Geothermal Heat Pumps Make Sense for Homeowners,” DOE/GO-1098-651, April 1999). The Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium (GHPC) estimates this will save the U.S. 11 million barrels of crude oil every year.
How does it work? GHPs work so efficiently because the energy source, the sun, has already created the energy needed to heat and cool your home. The earth stores 47% of the energy received from the sun. That’s 500 times more energy than mankind needs every year. A GHP system merely transfers this already created energy to your home for heating, and back to the earth for cooling.
In the winter, water circulating inside a sealed loop buried 5 feet below ground level (where year-round temperatures range between 50-55 degrees F) absorbs this heat, and transfers it to the GHP. Using the same basic heat-exchange process used by today’s refrigerators and air conditioners, the GHP takes this heat and compresses (concentrates) it to reach the higher temperatures needed to heat your home.
In the summer, the same unit reverses the process and expels excessive heat from your home, via the underground water loop, and disperses it to the cooler temperatures below.
Either a conventional duct system (as with forced air) or radiant floor heating can be used to evenly distribute comfortable temperatures throughout your house in all seasons, as determined by your thermostat setting.
The GHP does all this using only a relatively small amount of electricity. For each unit of energy used to run the system, four additional units are harvested. That means you pay for one unit and receive five units to heat and cool your home with. This is why the EPA (as previously stated) declares that GHPs are the most energy efficient, environmentally clean, and cost effective space conditioning system available.
Because a GHP does not burn fossil fuel, there is no combustion, nor are there flames, odors or fumes. This totally eliminates all possibilities of carbon monoxide poisoning that can happen with malfunctioning fossil-fuel burning furnaces. A GHP system delivers clean and healthy comfort by transferring the natural thermal properties of the earth into your home.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average life of a GHP is 22 years and it has fewer maintenance requirements than most other systems. Also reported is that 95% of all GHP users would recommend a similar system to their friends and family (source: “Geothermal Heat Pumps Make Sense for Homeowners,” DOE/GO-10098-651, April 1999).
The underground loop is made of high-density polyethylene and has a life expectancy between 75 and 100 years.
If quietness is important to you, you’ll love your GHP for one additional reason. It generates about as much sound as a refrigerator.
Heat and cool your home the natural way. Enjoy geothermal.
Upcoming FREE Seminars
Periodically, 21st Century Homes holds free seminars at which you can learn about our energy-saving home packages and how they are revolutionizing the home building business.
Intesrested in attending? Just contact us and we'll notify you when we're coming to your area or even set up a free personal consultation!