Alternative energy sources are gaining respect within the HVAC industry, and with good cause: Although homeowners in isolated, rural areas have long used solar and wind power as energy sources, these kinds of sources have now gained popularity in suburban and urban areas for their energy savings and decreased impact on the environment.

You’re probably familiar with solar and wind energy to some extent, but geothermal systems have been around just as long and achieve equally good results. Geothermal systems use underground pipes to gather energy to heat or cool your home’s air. If you’re looking at geothermal’s potential for your home, you need to know about its benefits.

What will impress you most about geothermal’s efficiency is that its energy return is 400 percent. To put this into perspective, compare this against furnaces, for example: The most efficient furnaces on the market are rated 98 percent efficient. In comparison, geothermal systems deliver a quadruple return for every unit of energy they consume. That’s an impressive feature, and it translates into big energy savings. In fact, the only energy these systems consume is the energy it takes to move the heated or cooled air through your home.

Geothermal systems often operate with a heat-pump system to move the air around; however, they are much quieter than traditional heat pumps because you don’t need an outdoor compressor unit. You’ll never hear the underground system moving the heating or cooling liquid through the pipes.

Energy experts rate geothermal systems as one of the cleanest energy sources available for two reasons: 1) they don’t release any dangerous greenhouse gases, and 2) the amount of electricity they consume to operate is relatively low. Geothermal is also a safe heating and cooling method because it doesn’t require combustion, which always presents a hazard with traditional systems.

The benefits of geothermal systems are clear: they’re an efficient energy source, they are quiet, their impact on the environment is negligible, and they’re very safe. If you’re looking for a long-lasting, efficient energy system, you’ve hit the right source. Geothermal’s results are as good as its reputation. For help evaluating your geothermal options, contact the experts at AirFlex.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Air Flex Ltd services the Greater Toronto area. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.