Sustainable Geothermal Heating

Geothermal ground source heat pumps are a good sustainable heating option for new construction. These ground-source heat pumps (GSHPs) use the steady temperature of the earth (rather than varying outside air temperatures) to transfer heat. The air transfer eliminates the need to burn fossil fuels to create heat, thus greatly reducing the amount of toxic emissions in the atmosphere.

At Harvey’s Plumbing & Heating we can install both types of GSHPs — either closed loop or open loop. Each has three different installation options: horizontal, vertical, or in a pond/lake. We will determine the most economical installation site based on your available land areas and existing terrain.

Differences between closed loop and open loop geothermal systems

For closed loop systems, water or antifreeze solution is circulated through plastic pipes buried beneath the earth's surface. During the winter, the fluid collects heat from the earth and carries it through the system and into the building. During the summer, the system reverses itself to cool the building by pulling heat from the building, carrying it through the system and placing it in the ground. This process creates free hot water in the summer and delivers substantial hot water savings in the winter. Open loop systems operate on the same principle and can be installed where an adequate supply of suitable water is available and open discharge is feasible.