Environmental Benefits of Geothermal Heat Pumps

For the average homeowner, changing how you heat your house is the single best way to reduce your carbon footprint.  In fact, making the switch to geothermal can reduce your home greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 75%. That’s why the adoption of home geothermal heating & cooling technology is essential for New York state (and the US) to meet its emissions goals of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 80% by 2050.

In this post, we’ll explore how geothermal heating and cooling works, and why it’s a better, safer, cleaner alternative to traditional HVAC systems.

How Geothermal Heating & Cooling Works

Geothermal heat pumps capitalize on the ground’s constant temperature to heat and cool your home without needing to burn fuel. Even better, over the lifetime of the system, a geothermal heat pump will cost thousands less than traditional oil and gas, so you can save the planet while saving money.

Geothermal Lowers Carbon Emissions

Geothermal heating and cooling produces 75% to 85% less carbon dioxide emissions than gas and oil produces. For example, a 1,500 square foot house in Westchester, NY heated with oil burns 750 gallons per year, which equates to an output of about 17,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. The same house heated with geothermal technology uses 7200-kilowatt hours of energy, equivalent to roughly 4,500 pounds of carbon dioxide.  That’s a yearly reduction of 12,500 pounds of Co2, the equivalent to removing one car off the road for an entire year!

Geothermal Reduces Environmental Damage

The extraction of gas and oil through fracking and drilling has serious environmental consequences such as oil spills and contaminated groundwater. Geothermal, when compared to traditional heating, has advantages in reducing the upstream immediate and future environmental consequences of extracting, storing and burning fuel. For every household that converts to geothermal, hundreds to thousands of gallons of petroleum will no longer be extracted from the earth. 

Aside from the harmful impacts of fracking, buried oil tanks and gas pipelines become environmental hazards as they age and degrade, not to mention the cost and stress that a leak can have on homeowners. Geothermal ground loops are made of a high-density polyethylene and last for over 50 years. When they reach the end of their lifespan, ground loops pose no environmental risk and simply become inactive.

Geothermal Eliminates Carbon Monoxide Risk

In addition to making a positive change for the environment, upgrading to geothermal energy can be good for your health. When heating a house with a combustion furnace, there’s always the risk of carbon monoxide leaks. According to the CDC, carbon monoxide poisoning “kills hundreds every year and makes thousands more sick.” A geothermal system doesn’t produce carbon monoxide, so it eliminates the risk of poisonous gases leaking from your furnace. 

Carbon monoxide is not the only toxic byproduct homeowners need to watch out for. Burning gas and oil for home heating pollutes the air with soot (particulate matter), oxides from nitrogen (NO2), hydrocarbons, and other hazardous waste. These not only contribute to the formation of acid rain but have been linked to a higher incidence of heart and lung diseases. These pollutants also make existing respiratory diseases like asthma worse. According to the EPA, nationwide, these fine particles cause roughly 15,000 premature deaths every year.

Is Geothermal Heating and Cooling Right For You?

While many people are aware of the growing climate crisis and would like to do their part to help, it can often be hard to make major changes to decrease your carbon footprint. Here at Dandelion, we aim to make upgrading from a traditional HVAC system to a geothermal one not only environmentally-friendly but customer-friendly. From a healthier home to cost savings, geothermal is a smart choice not just for the planet but for you as well, no sacrifices needed.

To find out if your home qualifies for a Dandelion Home Geothermal System click the button below.