Scores of people here in Olive Branch, Mississippi, have sought Air & Heat Service Co. to make their homes geothermal homes. Still hesitant about geothermal heating and cooling yourself? Knowing something of the science behind it – and the mechanics as well – may help.
We’ve discusseded elsewhere the advantages of geothermal heating and cooling. Suffice it to say here that hardly any other manner of maintaining apleasant home environment throughout the year are as efficient, reliable, or ultimately budget-friendly, particularlly when you consider the energy savings.
Here’s how geothermal works its magic.
Thar’s Gold Heat in Them Thar Hills!
We dig in the earth for precious metals. We dig in the earth for oil. Now, more than ever, we’re tapping the earth for an asset no doubt just as valuable to a majority of us: the energy to heat and cool our homes that doesn’t involve oil.
You see, close beneath the earth’s crust – that would be in the neighborhood of 33,000 feet under our feet – is a stratum of magma. This is a molten and semi-molten blend, principally of silicates, in which temperatures range from 1300 degrees Fahrenheit to 2400 degrees Fahrenheit and hotter the deeper you go (not that you’d want to go there!). What this serves to do is keep the ground immediately under the earth’s surface at a year-round temperature of between 45 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Result? Underground temperatures in Olive Branch (and most places stateside, in any event) are warmer than the ambient air above ground in Winter and cooler than the ambient air above ground in Summer.
Time to Get Pumped!
This, then, is what geothermal heating and cooling systems do: they transfer heat from the ground to your home or heat from your home to the ground, depending on the season. Either way, your home’s interior is maintained at the optimum temperature to keep you and your family comfy month after month.
The mechanism that accomplishes the transfer is a geothermal heat pump. It continuously circulates water or some blend (commonly antifreeze) between your home and loops of piping (commonly fashioned of polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, PVC, or CPVC) buried in the ground. In Winter, the liquid is cold when it enters the ground. As it travels through the loops, it absorbs heat from the earth and is returned to your home warm. In Summer, the process is reversed: warm liquid enters the loops, where it absorbs the cooler ground temperatures before it’s returned to your home. Looking for details? You’ll find more comprehensive information on ground loops here.
The key point is that geothermal heating and cooling systems don’t produce energy. They don’t work like central heating systems, which generate heat themselves. Instead, geothermal systems heat and cool your home by making use of the energy already amply available beneath the earth’s surface. That’s why geothermal systems are not only quieter but also a lot more trustworthy, need less maintenance, have significantly longer lifespans, and are more environmentally friendly than typical HVACs. That’s also why, ultimately, you’ll save lots more more money by going geothermal.
Curious now? Consult with Air & Heat Service Co., your Olive Branch geothermal heating and cooling specialist, today.