A Goethermal system generally consists of two primary components:
- Outside, a system of buried pipe (the loop) carries a heat transfer fluid that picks up heat from the earth or releases heat to it. The loop consists of pipes removing heat from the earth in the heating mode and releasing heat to it in the cooling mode.
- Inside, is a heat pump and pumping arrangement which transfers the heat supplied by the loop. This is accomplished by a refrigeration process which transfers heating or cooling via forced air or water.
 Similar to a refrigerator |
The process a geothermal heat pump uses works much like a refrigerator, which removes heat from food and passes it into the kitchen through it's back coils. A heat pump can heat or cool, so there is no need for separate units for heating and air conditioning. |
A geothermal heat pump extracts heat from, or pumps it into the earth through high-density polyethylene pipe buried either vertically or horizontally. The pipe contains a heat transfer fluid which generally stays the same temperature as the earth surrounding it. This process replaces the need to burn fossil fuels or circulate current through electric elements. |
 No fossiled fuels or electric elements |
Absorbes heat during cold months. |
After circulating through the piping loop in the ground, the mixture is piped into the home, where it is connected to the heat exchanger in the heat pump. In winter the fluid in the pipes absorbs the heat in the earth and distributes it in the home. In summer, this is reversed. The fluid absorbs heat from the home and returns it to the earth. |
A geothermal system can heat or cool any home - location doesn't matter. Piping can be installed under a lawn, landscaped area, driveway, or even the home itself. |
 The system can go anywhere |
Exchange heat with well and lake water |
Geothermal heat pumps can also exchange heat with well water and lake water. If your heat pump uses well water, the water is circulated directly through the system and returned to the ground via a second well on your property. |
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Geothermal heat pumps are able to use a device called a "desuperheater" to reduce water heating expense. In summer, it recovers the "waste" heat from the air conditioning to heat water. In winter some heat is diverted from the heat pump to the hot water heater. |
What about hot water heaters? 
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