Geo Thermal

Minimize Utility Expenses–Produce Your Own Heating and Cooling
• Can be installed in any size yard
• Start saving immediately
• Residential & Commercial

MAJOR BENEFITS

Enjoy lower utility bills (25% to 70% lower than with conventional systems), lower maintenance, and higher levels of year-round comfort. Since a GeoThermal system uses no fossil fuel to produce heat, it generates no greenhouse gas emissions like a conventional furnace, and eliminates the possibility of poisonous carbon monoxide within your home or building.

Annual Expense on a Typical Geothermal Unit

WHAT IS GEOTHERMAL TECHNOLOGY AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

GeoThermal technology uses the earth’s renewable energy, to heat or cool a home or commercial building, and to help provide hot water. GeoThermal systems are the best choice you can make for both your budget and the Earth. The EPA has said that geothermal is “the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective space conditioning systems available today”.

Just below the earth’s surface, the temperature remains pretty constant year-round, ranging from 45º or so in northern areas to about 70ºF in the deep south. GeoThermal technology takes advantage of this constant temperature by providing extremely efficient heating and cooling. In the wintertime, a fluid circulating through the pipes buried in the ground absorbs that temperature (heat) from the earth and carries it into your home and then a heat pump transfers it to your home for warmth. In the summer, this process is reversed. Heat is extracted out of the air in your home and transferred through the heat pump to the ground. The only external energy needed for GeoThermal is a minimal amount of electricity to operate the heat pump, ground loop pump and distribution fan or pump.

Geothermal Heating and Cooling – Benefits

• Transfer three to four units of energy into a home for every one unit of electricity it uses;
• Provide at least two thirds of the energy needed to heat a home. This can lead to savings of 30 to 70 per cent of a homeowners heating costs;
• Produce less carbon dioxide and atmospheric pollutants than conventional heating and cooling systems;
• Run cleaner than traditional heating and cooling systems;
• Do not require an additional fuel delivery system to the home in addition to electricity and do not require venting of combustion products from a furnace.

Geothermal Energy – 4 Main Parts:

• a heat pump
• a ground loop
• a heat transfer fluid (water or antifreeze solution)
• an air distribution system

When installed correctly, geothermal systems generally require very little repair for 20-25 years. For optimal performance, homeowners should keep system ducts and air filters clean, and change / clean filters according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Geothermal Energy – Adding to an Existing Furnace

A dual system can be added to an existing furnace to provide a dual-fuel heating system, where the heat pump is the main source of heating and the combustion furnace provides supplementary heat during extreme cold.

Geothermal Energy – System Noise Control

A geothermal system is one of the quietest systems available. The indoor components are all sound-insulated and sound dampeners eliminate vibration noise where the pump connects to the ductwork. The minimal noise produced by underground components is undetectable to the homeowner.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

Geothermal systems typically cost more to install in homes than conventional systems
because of the ground loop piping, however GeoThermal systems typically have the lowest life-cycle cost of any other heating and cooling system. Heating and cooling costs for a typical 2,000-sq.-ft. home can cost as little as $1 a day. Geothermal installation costs have declined substantially in recent years, and are expected to continue to fall. The savings a geothermal system can save homeowners every month in energy costs, will quickly offset their higher installation cost. Keep in mind too that GeoThermal means extra savings on repair, maintenance, hot water bills and the energy efficiency of the system adds value to the home. The National Association of Realtors Appraisal Journal estimated that a home’s value increases by $10 to $25 for every $1 reduction in utility bills. That’s a lot of equity!

ARE THERE OTHER FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR INSTALLING A GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM?

Some states and utilities have programs to encourage you to install GeoThermal. For a comprehensive listing of incentives for renewable energy systems, go to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency . You might also consider calling your state energy office or local utility for more information.