• Using a ground source heat pump is a good way to heat your home.home sweeet home image by .shock from Fotolia.com
  
  Ground source heat pumps, also known as geothermal heat pumps, use the Earth as a source of heating and cooling. That means, instead of pulling from the outside air, the heat pump will use the constant temperature of the Earth to keep the temperature in your home constant.
  
  

Constant Temperature of the Earth

• Across the Earth, the temperature of the ground ranges from 45 degrees Fahrenheit to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Because the Earth has a temperature that is not affected by the daily change of atmospheric temperatures, it makes for a good source of temperature regulation for the pumps. Air-source pumps constantly have to adjust the amount of electricity used to either cool or heat the shifts in air temperature. With a heat source that has a constant temperature, electricity use can remain constant. This means that when the temperature is cold, the Earth will be warmer, making it a good source of heat for your home. When atmospheric temperatures are high, the Earth will be cooler. In this way, the Earth can act as a heat sink, that is, a place where warm air can be pulled in to keep your house cool.
  
  

Efficiency of a Ground Source Heat Pump

• The constant temperatures mean geothermal heat pumps need less electricity to heat or cool your home, making them more efficient. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) ground source heat pumps can be considerably more efficient than an air source heat pump. On cold nights, a ground source heat pump can be between 300 to 600 percent efficient at heating the home. By comparison, air source heat pumps are only about 175 to 250 percent efficient on cold days.
  
  

Energy Savings with a Ground Source Heat Pump

• Because of the high efficiency of a geothermal heat pump, they have a considerable impact on energy savings. The DOE states that ground source heat pumps use 25 to 50 percent less electricity than other forms of heating and cooling. According to the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association, the installation of a geothermal heat pump can pay for itself within three years. And the lifetime of this type of heat pump usually lasts for over 20 years.