What’s the Big Deal With Geothermal Cooling?

Using the temperature of the Earth to keep things cool dates back centuries, but more recent technology allows us to take greater advantage of our natural resources. You may have heard about geothermal cooling, but do you know how much money you can save from using this air conditioning option? Geothermal technology can be used to cool as well as heat your Arlington Heights, Illinois, home. We’ll take a look at the cooling aspect and what makes geothermal cooling so efficient.

Geothermal Technology

Geothermal cooling happens by means of a heat pump, which works much differently than a standard air conditioning system. Unlike a standard air conditioner or furnace, which forcibly cools or heats air, a heat pump moves heat from one place to another, much like a refrigerator. For example, during the cooling season, geothermal heat pumps move heat from the home to the ground outside via the refrigerant.

The hot refrigerant from inside the home is cycled out of the home and into loops buried deep in the ground. Heat is absorbed by the cool ground (around 55 degrees Fahrenheit year-round) and the refrigerant is cycled back into an indoor air handler unit, where fans blow across the cooled refrigerant before the process begins anew.

Benefits of Geothermal Cooling

Without the need to use electricity to cool the refrigerant, geothermal cooling is a much more efficient and energy-saving process. Cooling systems that run on fuel are not as energy efficient as a geothermal unit, which has an efficiency rating of 400%, as opposed to the 94% efficiency rating of the average HVAC system. Geothermal systems are also very quiet systems and more forgiving on the environment. Although this type of technology costs more upfront than a conventional HVAC system, the savings over time, make it a valuable investment.

Geothermal cooling is another step in the direction toward higher efficiency and greater comfort. If you would like to learn more about the efficiency of geothermal technology, give Tempco Heating and Air Conditioning a call today at (847) 670-7000.