Geothermal Heat Pumps still remain an efficient and cost effective way to heat and cool your house.

The basic idea is to exchange heat with the earth itself! How does it work?

Fluid filled tubing is buried in the earth, which remains at about 55 degrees year-round. If this 55 degrees is transfered to your house, those 55 degrees are free! To raise the temperature, the heat pump moves heat out of the tubing’s fluid and into your house (like an air-conditioner moves heat out of your house). Cooling is accomplished in reverse. The earth’s temperature remains constant within a degree or so, so the system remains efficient in either mode.

So, fuel is unnecessary, except for the electricity to run the pump and fans.

To learn more and get a higher-tech explanation, see the GeoExchange Consortium’s website. (Thanks Marlene!)