Almost 5 years ago my family moved from a 1200 sq.ft. Rancher into a 2800 sq.ft. Cape Cod. The cape cod at the time was about 12 years old and had one peculiar feature which we knew nothing about. It had 'Geothermal' heating and cooling!
I'm not going to go into the technical aspects of this technology, but I'll share some personal, practical thoughts about this phenomenal system.
*Simplicity---it has slightly more moving parts than an average refrigerator. There is only one unit, inside, for both heating and cooling---there is no outside 'cooling' module required! We thought when first looking at the house that it did not have central air conditioning (seeing no outside unit). Although initial installation costs are somewhat higher than other systems, there are virtually not that many parts to replace if and when service is required.
*Efficiency---It is supposed to be 400% more efficient than the best fossil fuel heaters which operate at efficiencies in the low 90%'s---and this has proven true. Our heating and cooling costs are extremely low in comparison with similar houses in our area that use 'fossil fuel' type systems!
*Features---There is 1 thermostat for the entire home. The temperature never varies more than plus or minus 1 degree (air vents need to be regulated to achieve an optimum balance throughout the entire house-summer vs. winter). You hardly ever feel the sensation of rushing air, nor do you sense a shifting in temperatures. It runs quietly, comfortably, and with no emissions entering the atmosphere. It is fantastic!!!
*Health Benefits---It has a super duper filter ($50--we replace it once a year) which reduces allergens to a minimum and a humidifier for winter comfort!
*Technical---I know I said I wouldn't but...It basically operates on the principle that ground water in our area is about 56 degrees F. There are 2 types of 'geothermal systems'--an open loop, which we have, and a closed loop, which I understand is now the preferred type for both cost and efficiency. Our open loop takes water from a well, circulates it through a coil and compressor, extracts the heat or cold from the water (much as a conventional heat pump would do with air), then returns the water to an additional well. In a closed loop system there would be trenching placed outside and tubing laid through which a refrigerant type liquid would be circulated continuously.
I didn't want to get too technical because I'm not qualified to explain it accurately. Suffice it to say that anyone contemplating a new home or retrofitting an older home should explore at least the possibility that this 'geothermal system' might be worth looking into.
There aren't a lot of HVAC people who know a lot about these systems, so be sure and check around in your area!!! I have included a link to Bard MFG. http://www.bardhvac.com/app_cntr_apps_hp_grndsrc.shtml who made our particular unit. They are located in Ohio and are an excellent company for support!
I'll be attending a 2 day title seminar Sunday and Monday. This is my 11th post of the week so I'm forgoing the 200 points because I think this information is too valuable for me to withhold!!!
Footnote: I lied To you guys! This was my 10th post, so ignore the last sentence of the penultimate paragraph!!!
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