Geothermal Heating & Cooling Services in St. Louis

How Does a Geothermal System Work? 

Instead of utilizing a condenser coil and fan combination of a typical unit to transfer heat into the surrounding air, a geothermal system utilizes a system of pipes buried underneath your property to transfer heat from the ground, hence the term geothermal. The benefit is simple to understand when you realize that the Earth absorbs almost 50% of the solar energy that hits it and remains between 50°F to 70°F year-round. If you have ever been in a cave in the summer months, this concept is easy to understand. The efficiency of the system is magnified by the fact that the Earth is near the perfect temperature year-round to operate an air conditioner or a heat pump.

If you are beginning to see the benefit of using the Earth as a heating or cooling source, perhaps you are already ahead of me and are wondering about what happens to the efficiency of an air-cooled system on the hottest day in the summer or the coolest day in the winter. Actually, if you are ahead of me, you probably already know the answer, which is that as the outside air temperature goes up, the efficiency and capacity of an air-cooled air conditioner goes down, right during the time you need it most. What about air cooled heat pump operation? You guessed it - as the outside air temperature falls, the efficiency and capacity of an air-cooled heat pump goes down, right during the time you need it most. How do these swings in temperature affect a Geothermal system? It is not affected! Remember, the Earth’s temperature remains between 50°F to 70°F year-round, the PERFECT temperature to operate your system is maintained for you by Mother Earth 24/7/365!