{"id":11334,"date":"2019-01-25T01:10:32","date_gmt":"2019-01-25T01:10:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kravelv.com\/?p=11334"},"modified":"2021-11-04T01:15:47","modified_gmt":"2021-11-04T01:15:47","slug":"geothermal-heating-cooling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kravelv.com\/geothermal-heating-cooling\/","title":{"rendered":"Earth Protection, Money Savings: Make a Geothermal Home Improvement"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Geothermal Home\nImprovement: One Million Homes & Growing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no getting around our need for\nreliable temperature regulation. The thermostat is often the first adjustment\nwe make leaving and returning to our homes during the hot and cold months. We\nneed it for ourselves and the pets we care for. All that space heating takes a\nlot of energy. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that 42\npercent of US home energy spending can be linked to space heating needs.\nCommercial properties are not far behind at 36 percent (Footnote 1). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As homes continue to rely upon burning fossil\nfuels — natural gas, propane, and the all familiar oil and coal — there\u2019s\nnever been a better time to consider a better way to get the job done. Over one\nmillion US properties have made a change to a greener, more efficient and\ncheaper home improvement: geothermal energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cThe\nevidence of human-caused climate change is overwhelming and continues to\nstrengthen, that the impacts of climate change are intensifying across the\ncountry, and that climate-related threats to Americans’ physical, social, and\neconomic well-being are rising.\u201d- 4th National Climate Assessment, 2018<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Home Improvement\nThat Targets Climate Change <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The announcement of a US Departure from the 2015 Paris Agreement and the\n2018 National Climate Assessment (NCA) have clean energy enthusiasts\nstrategizing energy options to impact climate change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cClimate change is expected to cause growing\nlosses to American infrastructure and property and impede the rate of economic\ngrowth over this century.\u201d (footnote 2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the Federal government released the 2018\nNational Climate Assessment (NCA), it reiterated what is now considered\nwidespread scientific consensus: our planet\u2019s temperature continues to rise,\nthe environment is taking a big hit, and our wallets will be left to pay more\nin the end. There has been a positive response as well — many private\ncompanies and US citizens have begun taking specific actions to combat a\nclimate crisis. Among those actions: changing the way we think about and use\nenergy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting Started with a\nGeothermal Energy Source Home Improvement<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Heating and cooling a home with geothermal\nenergy works by taking heat and energy directly from the ground. The Earth\u2019s\ncrust provides a consistent temperature below the surface to pull from, and\nthen redirects the energy to a property to be used for both heating and cooling\nthe air and water. This is accomplished using a system of geothermal heat pumps\nare connected to pipes buried underground, commonly called geothermal loops and\nexchanges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Homes that use geothermal energy can collect\n75 percent of needed energy from the ground below them with the added bonus of\nusing a renewable energy source that is free and does not pollute. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Save Money, Protect\nthe Environment: Two Big Wins for Geothermal Heating<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The EPA points out that geothermal heating and\ncooling can be counted on as among the most environmentally friendly, energy\nefficient, and cost-effective systems available for space heating needs. Here\u2019s\nhow that translates into reality when making a home improvement to geothermal:<\/p>\n\n\n\n