3 ms·
While geothermal systems do use heat pumps, the term "heat pump" in general conversation almost always refers to air-source heat pumps (air to air), not geother
by frosted-flakes 5y ago
While geothermal systems do use heat pumps, the term "heat pump" in general conversation almost always refers to air-source heat pumps (air to air), not geothermal. In the US/Canada, drilling additional wells is prohibitively expensive for most people, which is why geothermal systems haven't taken off.
Heat pumps don't perform very well, or at all, when it's -30° or -40°, so a secondary heat source is needed. Usually, that will be natural gas, in which case why bother with a heat pump when you can just burn much cheaper natural gas?
- shkkmo 5y agoThe context maters here. If a boat is being discussed, it won't be air to air.
- frosted-flakes 5y agoWhat's your point?
- bluGill 5y agoHeat pumps are cheaper than propane at least, though I'm not sure if they are enough cheaper as to be worth the cost.
- amarant 5y agoOh, in Swedish they're both called heat pumps, i didn't realize there was such a distinction in the English language between the two systems. In my mind they're just different kinds of heat pumps. And yeah, drilling is pretty expensive, but once the system is installed, heating is ridiculously cheap. When my parents installed geothermal, ROI was estimated to about 5 years for their house iirc. But then it may well be that drilling is cheaper here by virtue of being more common, idk.
- bluGill 5y agoThere both is and isn't. If someone says heat pump in a generic heating context they don't care. However most of the time the difference is significant, so geothermo is added as a qualifier where that is what is meant, and heat pump alone means air to air. You have to guess from context which it is though - and you won't always be right.