Two field-proven heating technologies — Electrical Resistance Heating and Thermal Conduction Heating — cover virtually every combination of geology and contaminant. We help you pick the right one, then deliver it end to end.
Electric current flows between electrodes and the soil itself becomes the heater, raising the subsurface to the boiling point of water and steam-stripping volatile contaminants.
Heater wells operating at several hundred degrees Celsius conduct heat uniformly through any soil or rock, reaching compounds that boil far above 100 °C.
The right choice depends on your contaminants' boiling points, your geology and your cleanup goals. This is the comparison we walk through in every free site evaluation.
| Criteria | ERH — Electrical Resistance Heating | TCH — Thermal Conduction Heating |
|---|---|---|
| How it heats | Electric current between electrodes; the soil is the resistor | Heater wells conduct heat outward through soil and rock |
| Target temperature | Up to ~100 °C (boiling point of water) | 100 °C to several hundred °C at the heater face |
| Best-fit contaminants | VOCs: TCE, PCE, TCA, benzene, vinyl chloride | VOCs plus SVOCs, TPH, and high-boiling compounds |
| Geology | Needs soil moisture to conduct current; excels in silts and clays | Independent of moisture; works in any soil and fractured rock |
| Saturated zone | Excellent — heats groundwater and soil together | Effective; often combined with dewatering or ERH |
| Typical duration | Months (site-specific) | Months (site-specific) |
| Under active facilities | Yes — low-profile wellfield, no excavation | Yes — low-profile wellfield, no excavation |
Send us your site data — our engineers will model both and recommend the best fit, free of charge.
Request a Free Site Evaluation