These work much like a refrigerator does, except in reverse, sending the heat back into your house. These may be attached to an air exchanger, or for more efficiency, to a hot water tank heating system that circulates the hot water through your house for heat. They may also be used to supply hot tap water. Ground source heat pumps can heat water to 130 degrees F., and use only a small amount of electricity to pump the fluids. Unlike gas, oil, or electric heat, no fuel is burned to create the heat in a heat pump.
Heat is obtained through the compression of gasses from the fluids circulated.
Only a small amount of electricity is needed for pumping the fluids. Generally the greatest expense for ground source heat pumps is associated with digging the wells or trenches. This system is best used in a new building site , one which will use the soil from the well in landscaping, or a site which has access to a body of water such as a pond or the bay. In an area with enough space, several buildings may be linked together through a community loop, such as for an apartment building or several houses. All sizes of buildings in any climate may be served by ground source heap pumps, from single-family homes to large corporate buildings and manufacturing plants.