How long the unit and the loop each last

Two parts, two lifespans

A ground-source system splits cleanly in two. The indoor cabinet holds the compressor, heat exchangers, valves, controls and pumps. It has moving parts and electronics, and it wears. The ground loop is buried plastic pipe with fused joints, circulating fluid, and nothing to rub against. Industry sources often quote roughly 20 to 25 years for the indoor equipment and 50 years or more for the loop, but those are expectations, not guarantees. Ask the installer for the written warranty terms on each part.

What wears out in the indoor unit?

The compressor is the heart and the most expensive component. Fans, circulation pumps, reversing valves, contactors and control boards all have finite lives. Operating conditions matter. A unit that short-cycles because it is oversized will age faster than one that runs in long, steady cycles (see heat pump sizing in cold climates). Poor filter care and neglected service also shorten life.

Replacing the unit while keeping a healthy loop is common. That is the main economic advantage over systems where the outdoor part wears out as well, and it feeds into the comparison in heating system lifespans in Canada.

What can go wrong with the loop?

Problems are uncommon but real. Poor fusion at joints, damage during backfill, low fluid pressure from a leak, or fluid chemistry that degrades over time can all reduce performance. Ground that was sized too tightly can also run colder year after year. Good grouting and pressure testing at install, and records of the loop layout, are cheap insurance. Having a diagram of where the pipe runs matters decades later when someone wants to dig a pool or an addition.

Signs it may be time to replace

• Rising electricity use for the same weather, without a change in the house.
• Frequent service calls or repeated component failures.
• Falling loop fluid pressure or visible leaks near the unit.
• Loop temperatures that trend lower each winter, which may point to design limits.
• Parts that are no longer supplied for older models.

Keeping service records helps show whether a problem is the unit or the loop. Routine care is outlined in geothermal heat pump maintenance.

What the Okotoks project says about long life

The Drake Landing borehole field entered operation in 2007 and supplied most of the neighbourhood's heating for years, yet the community was wound down from about 2020 and decommissioned from 2024. The reasons were deterioration and maintenance problems, rather than the ground simply running out. It is a reminder that buried infrastructure can outlive the surface equipment and the arrangements around it. For the system overview, see how Drake Landing worked. Long life also supports the value case in are ground source heat pumps worth it.

What happens at end of life?

When a unit fails, the owner has three options: repair, replace the indoor unit and reuse the loop, or switch to another heating system and leave the loop idle. Replacement is normally the sensible choice if the loop is sound, because the buried part is the expensive piece. Ask a technician to test loop flow and pressure before committing to a new unit, and have the loop fluid checked at the same time.

Refrigerant must be recovered by a licensed technician, and old compressors and electronics go to appropriate recycling. If the house is sold, the service history and the loop records add credibility to the listing. Costs for the new equipment and for the broader system are discussed in geothermal heat pump cost in Canada.

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