Geothermal heating systems utilize warmth from the below the earth’s surface to heat enclosed buildings. Although humans have been harnessing the earth’s heat for ages through the use of hot springs, the use of a heat pump to draw heat from the ground is a relatively new idea that didn’t occur until the early 1900s. With pressing environmental concerns surrounding the use of fossil fuels, geothermal heating systems have become a popular alternative that offer many advantages over their counterparts.
Some of the advantages offered by geothermal heating systems are related to efficiency, which is increased by 300 to 600 percent. Geothermal systems use up to 50 percent less electricity to operate than conventional heating systems. The increased efficiency offered by geothermal systems also leads to money savings.
Some countries offer tax advantages to businesses and individuals who wish to install these systems at their home or office. In fact, the United Nations has recognized geothermal heat pumps as a green energy option. Although harnessing geothermal power may be challenging in some cases, many countries have opted to build geothermal power plants in an effort to reduce carbon emissions worldwide and gain complete energy independence. Some countries have been offered tax incentives to build geothermal power plants in the same way individuals have been encouraged to install geothermal heating systems in their homes.
People who have geothermal heating systems installed in their homes will appreciate that they take up much less space and run much quieter than traditional heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems (HVAC). Additionally, geothermal heat pump systems also provide cooling ability in one system, which can also lead to long-term money savings. Residential energy costs may be decreased by up to 30 percent over natural gas heating systems and up to 50 percent over electric resistance heating.
Many of the other advantages to using geothermal heating systems are concerned with how the systems affect the environment. Geothermal heat is naturally renewable and significantly reduce emissions in comparison to traditional heating systems. They emit 44 percent less than air-source heat pumps and 77 percent less than electric resistance heating.
Other eco-friendly advantages of geothermal heating systems include the removal of carbon emissions from the air. Geothermal heat pump systems aid in removing more than 1.5 million tons of carbon emissions for the atmosphere every year. Installed systems eliminate the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning or gas leaks, which can lead to fires, sickness and sometimes death.