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Geothermal Heating and Cooling Frequently Asked Questions
Q. My house is small, will it benefit from geothermal?
A. No house is too small or too large to benefit from geothermal. We have
installed geothermal systems in 800 sw. ft. manufactured homes to 7000 sq. ft. mansions.
 Q.
My house is over 70 years old. Is it too old for geothermal?
A. Absolutely not! We have installed units in homes over 170 years old.
we do recommend that older homes that are not insulated be insulated. But, that's the case for any HVAC
system.
Q. I'm retired. Am I too old to put geothermal in my house?
A. Do you like paying high heating and cooling bills? Over 60% of our installations
are for retired couples. One lady, Mrs. Allensworth, was 83 years old when we installed her system.
GEO FACTS
 The idea behind geothermal energy is simple. The earth stores a vast reservoir of thermal energy (which is constantly re-supplied by the sun), typically 10 times that required over an entire heating season. A geothermal system simply transfers heat from the earth to the home in the winter and from the home back to the earth in the summer. The earth stays at a more constant temperature than widely varying air temperatures. And because heat energy is being move, and not created, geothermal systems operate at higher efficiencies than ordinary heating adn cooling systems.
Geothermal technology is environmentally advantageous. These systems can help curb environmental concerns such as acid rain, global warming and ozone depletion (which are directly linke to fossil fuel burning) by using natural energy removed from the earth instead of energy that must be artificially producted, generated and transported. Geothermal systems do not contain any chlorofluororcarbons (CFCs) in the loop solution (which are suspected to be a major cause of ozone depletion), use far less refrigerant in the unit than ordinary heat pumps or air conditioners, and are factory-sealed to prevent leakage.
EARTH SAVINGS
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:
- Geothermal heat pumps are the most cost-effective, energy-efficient and environmentally clean heating and cooling system available in the United States.
- Geothermal heat pumps can reduce energy consumption and corresponding emissions by more than 40% compared to air source heat pumps and by more than 70% compared to electric resistance heating with standard air-conditioning equipment. Combining geothermal with other energy efficient measures, such as window or insulation upgrades, can increase the savings even further.
- Replacing an HVAC system iwth a geothermal system is the equivalent of planting 750 trees, or three-quarters of an acre of rain forest.
- The average house contributes more greenhouse gas emissions than the average car. The u.S. General Accounting Office estimates that if geothermal heat pumps were installed nationwide, they could save several billion dollars annually in energy costs and substantially reduce pollution.
HUD and USDA have joined forces to support geothermal technology. Section 3013 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 defines a goal to "...encourage states, municipalities, counties and townships to consider allowing the installation of geothermal heat pumps ..."
Currently, nine percent of the United States' total energy consumption is for residential heating and cooling. Many utility companies are counting on geothermal heat pumps to reduce peak electric deman and lessen environmental pressures stemming from ordinary heating and cooling systems. Use of geothermal systems also helps eliminate power peaks that cause brownouts. By flattening out power peaks, electric companies will need tobuild fewer power plants, thereby decreasing air pollution.
ENERGY SAVING
Geothermal heating and cooling systems are at least three times more efficient than fossil fuel systems. In energy consumption, geothermal systems use on average:
- 75% less primary energy than oil
- 48% less primary energy than natural gas
- 33% less primary energy than air-source heat pumps
- 33% of the refrigerant required by air-source heat pumps and central air conditioners
Today, more than 650,000 geothermal heat pumps are installed in the United States, resulting in an annual savings of 5.2 billin kWh, 26 trillion BTUs of fossil fuels and reduced electricity demand of 1.7 million kW. These systems are equivalent to:
- Taking 840,000 cars off the road
- Planting 250 million trees
- The elimination of nearly four million tons of C02 from the atmosphere
Water Furnace Frequently Asked Questions
 WaterFurnace GeoExchange
systems are energy efficient systems designed to tap the treasure trove of stored energy found beneath
the earth's surface. GeoExchange units combine stored energy with safe electric power to deliver homeowners
energy cost savings up to 60%. To provide you with more information, we have outlined the answersto the
most commonly asked questions concerning GeoExchange technology.
 Q.
How does a GeoExchange system work?
A. Throughout the year, outdoor temperatures fluctuate with the changing
seasons. However, underground temperatures do not. In fact, about four to six feet below the earth's surface,
temperatures remain relatively constant year-round. A GeoExchange system, which consists of an indoor
unit and a buried earth loop, capitalizes on these constant temperatures.
In the winter, fluid circulating through the system's earth loop absorbs stored heat and carried it
to the home. The indoor unit compresses the heat to a higher temperature and distributes it throughout
the home. In the summer the system reverses, pulling heat from the home, carrying it through the earth
loop and depositing it in the cooler earth.
Q. What makes a GeoExchange system different from conventional systems?
A. A GeoExchange system utilizes the energy from the sun which is stored
in the earth to heat and cool homes. Typically, electric power is used only to operate the unit's fan,
compressor and pump. So, unlike conventional systems, GeoExchange systems do not bum fossil fuel to generate
heat-they simply transfer heat to and from the earth.
Q. How efficient is a GeoExchange system?
A. A GeoExchange system is more than three times as efficient as the most
efficient conventional system. Because GeoExchange systems do not burn combustible fuel to make heat,
they provide three to four units of energy for every one unit used to power the system.
Q. What does GeoExchange mean to the environment?
A. Because GeoExchange systems work with nature, not against it, they minimize
the threats of acid rain, air pollution and the greenhouse effect. An environmentally friendly fluid is
used in the closed, continuous loop.
Q. Do GeoExchange systems require much maintenance?
A. No. In fact, GeoExchange systems are practically maintenance free. When
installed properly, the buried loop will last for generations. And the other half of the operation-the
unit's fan, compressor and
pump-is housed indoors, protected from harsh weather conditions. Usually, periodic checks and filter changes
are the only required maintenance.
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