Heating your home in the winter can be both costly and frustrating. Many conventional systems have a tough time providing warmth that’s efficient and consistent for homeowners. If you’ve ever experienced hot and cold spots in the winter, you know that cranking up the heat doesn’t always solve comfort issues. On top of that, it can make utility bills sky-rocket. If this sounds like you, geothermal radiant floor heating could be the perfect way to increase comfort and decrease utility bills.
What is a Geothermal Heat Pump System?
First, it’s important to understand how a geothermal heat pump system works. GHP systems use thermal energy stored within the Earth, in conjunction with heat pump technology, to heat or cool a building. The Earth acts as a ‘heat sink’ in the summer and a ‘heat source’ in the winter. This transfer of heat is an efficient and renewable means for space conditioning.
When most people think of a geothermal heating system, they think of the typical forced air, ducted distribution method. Geothermal radiant floor heating is becoming an increasingly popular alternative due to its comfort attributes, efficiency and many other benefits.
What is Geothermal Radiant Floor Heating?
Geothermal radiant flooring, or, ‘hydronic’ floor heating systems use a series of pipes underneath the floors which circulate hot water to heat the floors directly. The floors then heat the objects (or people) within the room, making the room warmer. With radiant floors, most of the heat travels via conduction and radiation, rather than convection (contrary to how forced air systems works). Homes that use geothermal radiant floor heating typically still have forced air cooling for summer.
The Many Benefits of Geothermal Radiant Floor Heating
- Energy Efficient: Geothermal radiant floors often allow homeowners to keep their thermostats lower by a few degrees in the winter. This is because the warmth of the floors contributes to warming the space. Combine this with the already optimized efficiency of a geothermal heat pump, and owners benefit from lower utility bills.
- Consistent Comfort: Forced air heating can present the hot and cold spots mentioned earlier. This form of convection can cause inconsistent temperatures throughout a space. On the other hand, radiant heat is able to travel more consistently because “hot air” is not rising and objects within the room are heated directly.
- Undisruptive and Virtually Undetectable:
- Quiet: Geothermal radiant flooring is virtually undetectable in many different ways. First, geothermal heat pumps are very quiet. The heat pump itself, which is typically situated in a mechanical room, is the “loudest” part of the system, with a noise level similar to that of a high-efficiency refrigerator. Geothermal radiant floors also do not make the noise of air distributing through ductwork.
- Invisible: Geothermal radiant flooring requires no registers, baseboard units, or radiators. In addition, geothermal heat pumps require no outside equipment. This means no hindrance on indoor or outdoor aesthetic and space.
- Healthy: Forced air systems pick up dust, dirt and other allergens that have settled throughout a home. This disturbance can irritate occupants, causing sneezing, coughing and itchy throats. Geothermal radiant flooring does not present this problem, as it works by directly heating the floor rather than distributing air.
If you have concerns about your utility bills or the comfort of your home, a geothermal heat pump combined with geothermal radiant flooring could be the answer. At Morrison Geothermal, we have installed over 4,500 systems throughout central Pennsylvania, in homes ranging from 800 to over 16,000 square feet. Our systems can deliver home heating and cooling, radiant floor heat, domestic hot water and snowmelt.
Our experienced technicians are experts in geothermal applications and can help you to decide what’s best for you. Contact us today at morrison@morrisongeothermal.com or 1-800-GO-Earth.
