4 Interesting Facts About Geothermal Heating And Cooling
From warming your house in the frigid winter temperatures to relaxing indoors on an extremely hot summer day, your heating and cooling system is an imperative part of your home's value and family's comfort. Considering half of your home's total energy usage stems from heating and cooling, understanding your specific system is smart for maintaining comfort in an efficient manner. If you are a homeowner who needs a new heating and cooling system or are currently building a house, consider a geothermal system. Using this guide of interesting facts, you will better understand the benefits of geothermal heating and cooling.
Environmental Benefits
Reducing monthly bills is possible by reducing your energy usage. Thankfully, geothermal heating and cooling is 45 percent more energy efficient compared to traditional systems. This energy conservation stems from the system using the ground's constant temperature of 55 degrees to convert energy into conditioned air. Of course, geothermal heating and cooling offers a few other environmental benefits including the following:
- Clean – Geothermal does not create harmful carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, or gas emissions. This protects the environment and your home's indoor air from harsh, toxic pollution.
- Longer Lasting – Geothermal systems last longer than traditional heating and cooling units. This reduces replacements, which can be wasteful and costly.
Fridge Similarities
Geothermal systems transfer heat from the ground into your home and vice versa in the opposite seasons. This process is similar to your refrigerator, which removes heat from the inside of the appliance and transfers it into your kitchen.
This movement takes place underground through a series of pipes called the ground heat exchanger. During times when heat is necessary, the system pulls heat from the ground and transfers it through the exchanger and into the home. In the summer when you require air conditioning, the system removes heat from inside your home and transfers it to the ground.
By utilizing the ground's heat, you are able to conserve energy, resulting in financial savings, as well.
Looping Systems
The ground heat exchanger is a required element of a geothermal heating and cooling system. This underground series of pipes can be time-consuming and expensive to install, but the elaborate design ensures efficient conditioning of your home's indoor air.
Your technician may suggest one of the following looping designs for geothermal installation:
- Horizontal – If you have wide, open spaces around your home, consider a horizontal system. This looping system features horizontally-run coils and pipes to transfer heat to and from your home.
- Vertical – If your home's lot lacks space, you may need to utilize a vertical looping system. Coils and pipes will run one or more hundred feet deep into the ground, which can be more expensive to install.
- Lake/Pond System – Utilizing the water's heat is also a viable option, but you will need to have a body of water near your home. This looping system is installed on the bed of the lake or pond and then connected to pipes under your home.
Smart Investment
A complete geothermal heating and cooling system can cost an estimated $42,000. While this number does seem high, it can offer you energy savings that add up to $1,617 a year on average.
Utilizing professionals to install a geothermal system will also offer you 30 percent income tax credit, as well. Due to your energy savings and added home value, a geothermal heating and cooling system will offer you a savings of $69,000 over a 20-year period.
Geothermal heating and cooling is not a common choice for homeowners, but learning these surprising facts will help you understand the benefits of your investment. By going geothermal, you can enjoy comfort, value, and energy-conservation. If you are interested in this type of heating system, then contact a contractor from a company like Cape Fear Air Conditioning & Heating Co., Inc.
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