Geothermal Heat Pump Overview

A heat pump is basically an air conditioning unit that can both cool when it is hot and heat in cold weather. Geothermal heat pumps are common for HVAC in Denver because it uses a series of closed loop water pipes in the home's foundation, structure or buried underground. These water pipes facilitate heat exchange and work well in basements. Air heat pumps are configured differently. They usually use electric or gas for back up heating. A damaged heat pump may be harder to repair, so make sure you use a trusted Denver furnace repair shop to get it back into working order.

Just as a refrigerator gets hot on the outside as it draws heat out of the cool inside, a heat pump is a giant refrigerator. When it is hot outside, the pump moves heat from the inside to the outside. A normal air conditioner moves heat in one direction, from the inside out, while a heat pump works both ways depending on the temperature and thermostat settings.

Geothermal heat pumps are very popular in Colorado because they use natural heat from the earth. Geothermal systems are very efficient because they take the stable temperature of the earth to work off heat exchange. This stable constant makes it work better than an air to air heat ecxchange. However, you will need to make an investment to have a geothermal pump. A geothermal pump costs thousands of dollars more than an air pump, so consult a Denver heating and air contractor to see what would be most effective for your home or business. The geothermal system is much cheaper to operate and, will last longer. This is good for Colorado businesses trying for that "green" moniker. Some pumps even provide hot water.

Geothermal pumps come in an open and closed loop designs. The system uses two wells and a pump to pull water from the dump and feeder well. Check with a Colorado HVAC contractor to see if this system will work. A horizontal closed loop system has piping buried several feet below the ground. The heat exchange happens between the piping and the ground. Vertical closed loop systems are good for areas with limited land available, like in a city. Holes are drilled in the earth more than a hundred feet deep. Pipes are filled into the holes. In Denver HVAC contractors will not use closed loop systems because it is hard to drill through the granite rocks. The pipes are connected at the bottom of the holes with a U-bend. Some closed loop systems use a pond or lake with pipes buried deep for heat exchange. Water based heat pumps can even use a water tower and boiler. Water temperature can be maintained at a comfortable warm temperature while still providing heating and cooling.