Most people call them Geothermal Heat Pumps. They are also known as Geoexchange Heat Pumps, Earth-Coupled Heat Pumps, and even Earth Energy Heat Pumps. Whatever name they go by, they are catching on in Mt. Washington where a handful have either been installed or are under construction. Geothermal heat pumps take advantage of the fact that while air temperatures vary constantly according to the season, the time of day, and the current weather, the ground just six feet under our feet remains at a fairly constant temperature year round (in Baltimore about 57 degrees Farenheit). In a geothermal heat pump system, a tube is sunk into the ground near a home and filled with a liquid which conveys the relative warmth of the ground in winter into your home. Most often these tubes are looped for the ease of the pumping sytem. Some systems can double as cooling mechanisms in the summer. The warmth harvested from the ground is distributed throughout your home using your existing system (forced air or radiant heat).
The really nice thing about Geothermal Heat Pumps is that they are earth friendly. Fossil fuels are not burned in order to generate the relative heat of the ground in winter. It is there for anyone to tap. They are also largely invisible. In a neighborhood with a large historic district it is doubtful that we will be allowed to install large solar panel arrays or wind turbines. Because the largest components of Geothermal Heat Pumps are under ground, there is very little visible equipment to mar the historic look of our neighborhood.
So what is the catch? The cost of installing a Geothermal Heat Pump can be quite high. An average system in Mt. Washington would probably run about $15,000. Once a system is installed, however, it can lower heating and cooling bills by approximately 40%. For some families with very large utility bills, a Geothermal Heat Pump can pay for itself in just a few years. If anyone has any more information on Geothermal Heat Pumps in Mt. Washington I would love to hear it.
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