Will Geothermal Heating Freeze in Winter?

One of the cool things about the internet is the amount of information available, mostly for free. But, one of the negatives is its guesstimates, myths, misinformed information, etc. That’s why we’re discussing geothermal heating and whether it works in the winter.

You may have heard all sorts of sides to this question, but this is the most honest answer you’ll find. So, does geothermal heating work during the Allentown winters? Short answer: Yes.

Standard Heat Pumps

One reason many people think something like geothermal heating might not work in the winter is probably because standard heat pumps sometimes need additional backup heaters in extreme weather – like the winters here in Greater Lehigh Valley.

This isn’t the case with geothermal heating, however. One thing to remember about these geothermal heat pumps is that even if the outdoor air is cold, the ground will not be the same temperature. Say, for instance, that the outside temperature is around 15 degrees. The ground won’t also be 15 degrees – instead, it will be 45 to 55 degrees.

400% Efficiency

A geothermal heat pump has about 400% efficiency; it’s one of the reasons so many people use it. But one thing you need to remember is that even though it’s cold outside, the heat in the ground is still there, even if the meteorologist is calling for snow, high winds, and below-zero temperatures.

Just because the temperature drops doesn’t mean your pump won’t have enough heat to keep you warm. Your geothermal heat pump will work just as well, whether it’s 100 degrees or 10 degrees.

Vertical vs. Horizontal Pipe Loops

There are two different kinds of pipe loop installations. The first is horizontal. This tends to be the cheaper option, but you also need a lot of room for it. The other type is the vertical option; this is a little more expensive, but you don’t have to worry about the lack of space, and you can usually get away with having less pipe installed.

If you live in an area with particularly harsh winters or really cold weather, it might be better to consider the vertical installation. It will be harder to drill into the ground versus digging a shallow hole, as you would with the horizontal option, but the vertical option will go further down into the ground, so it will be warmer.

Contact Jack Lehr With Your Lehigh Valley Geothermal Heating Questions

If you ever get stuck in a situation where you find a lot of misinformation about a topic, do yourself a favor: Call a professional and see what kind of advice they can give you about heat pumps. Sure, the internet is much more convenient, but as you can see here, there’s a lot of back and forth on what’s true and what isn’t.

Have more questions about geothermal heating? Contact the Allentown HVAC experts at Jack Lehr.

Call 610-596-9967 or contact us online today.