This isn't a problem for normal heating or cooling of a home, since we want to live in a pretty steady temperature anyway, but it does mean setting the thermostat back to save money won't work. The myth that geothermal heat pumps do not work in cases of extreme cold is often derived from the fact that standard air source heat pumps do perform poorly in below freezing temperatures. A ground source heat pump is NOT an air-to-air heat pump. Clean the outside unit and ensure that you’re not surrounding it with a fence or cover. Intermediate scale geothermal systems tap into rock at temperatures from 80 to 150 degrees Celsius. A geothermal heat pump will immediately save you 30 to 60 percent on your heating and 20 to 50 percent on your cooling costs over conventional heating and cooling systems.. High Upfront Costs. These financial incentives further reduce geothermal’s upfront cost while operational cost remains the same. The cost of geothermal systems is falling, but they’re still more expensive to install than traditional heating and cooling systems. The geothermal ststem has 3 zones- the living room is one zone, the kitche, dining and den the second zone, and the basement and bedrooms the third zone. This means, however, that they don't "catch up" as fast as fossil fuel furnaces. Geothermal heating and cooling uses pipes buried underneath the ground to take advantage of the constant 55 degree temperature. However, the outdoor unit struggles to absorb heat from the air if dust, leaves/grass or a fence block airflow over the unit’s refrigerant-filled coils. This is not hot enough for direct electrical energy generation, but it is hot enough to use heat directly for district heating (as in the city of Munich) or to run a heat exchanger to produce cold air. The fix? Even with proper geothermal heat pump maintenance, though, sometimes things go wrong. Geothermal heat pumps can operate in any climate—hot or cold—because of the earth’s constant underground temperature (from 45° to 75° F depending on location). One of the biggest drawbacks that puts many homeowners off switching to a geothermal heat pump is the high initial cost of installing one. That’s why your basement feels about 10 degrees cooler in the summertime than the rest of your house. Geothermal heat pumps are extremely efficient when sized correctly. Geothermal heat pump users should be aware that in the absence of using renewable generated electricity to drive the heating/cooling process (e.g., modes) that geothermal heat pump systems may not be fully fossil-fuel free (e.g., renewable-based). Once you get a few feet underground, the earth is a constant temperature of around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. What’s more, not every site is ideal for geothermal. In fact, millions of GHP systems are already heating and cooling homes and businesses worldwide, and that includes all 50 U.S. states. Geothermal does not burn fossil fuels to heat and cool buildings, so renewable energy programs often use financial incentives to further encourage homeowners to upgrade and go green. It cooled well in the fall but our troubles began when the heat went on in late November. How It Works We chose geothermal because of the reduced carbon footprint and the long term energy savings. Fact 3: Geothermal has Real Benefits Much lower operating costs than other systems. Uses clean, renewable energy (the sun). 2) Covered in snow or ice Again, the heat pump needs to absorb heat from the outdoor air. When that happens, a little troubleshooting can help you get your system running again. A geothermal heat pump is one of the most trouble-free ways to stay cozy through Northern Michigan's snowy winters and keep cool on the warmest summer days. 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