Filed under: Home, Alternative Energy

You know those movies where scientists tunnel to the center of the Earth, and they have to use magic technology to survive the heat coming from the molten lava core?

That's not real. But there is some pretty amazing -- yet simple -- technology that allows us to use the naturally consistent temperature of Earth just below the frost line to heat and cool homes. It's also very eco-friendly: you don't burn anything, nothing is emitted, and you don't produce any waste.

Geothermal power is one of the greenest ways to keep your house warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Even better? It's also one of the most cost-effective sources of energy!
A geothermal home HVAC unit basically has three parts. There is a pump in your home, probably in the basement like a traditional furnace. But instead of burning some kind of fuel, it's attached to an open or closed-loop system of pipes, which are buried under or near your home, and filled with a fluid that can transfer heat -- usually water or environmentally friendly anti-freeze.

The fluid moves through the heat exchange system of underground pipes, either getting warmed up or cooled down by the Earth. It's then sent back up, above ground, to a distribution system, which is either a system of air ducts, or radiant pipes in the floors.

And cost is another pro in favor of this method of maintaining a comfortable temperature in your living room.

Although it can require a substantial investment, particularly drilling for the pipes, the cost of running and maintaining it are low. Systems start around $4,000, and could wind up costing much more, depending on how much drilling is required. But running the system is so inexpensive that you could save 25-50% of your traditional energy costs!

Plus, you get a tax break for going green and saving some green. If you install a system between January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2016, you can claim up to 30% of the installed cost in tax credits in the year the system is placed into service. And there's no cap!

Add it up, the benefit to the environment and your bank balance make a geothermal residential heating and cooling system sound pretty appealing -- especially during this freezing cold winter that's gripping the nation!

Geothermal Power: Use the Earth as Your Furnace originally appeared on Green Daily on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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