FAQs

Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) are electrically powered systems that tap the stored energy of the greatest solar collector in existence: the earth. These systems use the earth's relatively constant temperature to provide heating, cooling, and hot water for homes and commercial buildings.

Ground source heat pumps can be categorized as having closed or open loops, and those loops can be installed in three ways: horizontally, vertically, or in a pond/lake. The type chosen depends on the available land areas and the soil and rock type at the installation site. These factors will help determine the most economical choice for installation of the ground loop.

The GSHP is one of the most efficient residential heating and cooling systems available today, with heating efficiencies 50 to 70% higher than other heating systems and cooling efficiencies 20 to 40% higher than available air conditioners. That directly translates into savings for you on your utility bills.

Yes. A GSHP can be a combination heating/cooling and hot water heating system. You can change from one mode to another with a simple flick on your indoor thermostat. Using a desuperheater, some GSHPs can save you up to 50% on your water-heating bill by preheating tank water.

Using what is called a desuperheater, GSHPs turn waste heat to the task of heating hot water. During the summer, when the system is in cooling mode, your hot water is produced free as a byproduct of the thermal process. In winter, with the heating mode, the desuperheater heats a portion of your hot water. Desuperheaters are standard on some units, optional on others. Stand-alone systems that will heat water all year around can be purchased.

Most of a GSHP installation is underground. Inside the house, the heat pump units are about the same size as a traditional heating and cooling unit.

GSHPs are durable and highly reliable. The GSHP contains fewer mechanical components, and all components are either buried in the ground or located inside the home, which protects them from outside conditions. The underground pipe carries up to a 50-year warranty.

GSHPs are very quiet, providing a pleasant environment inside & outside of the home. GSHPs have no noisy fan units to disturb outdoor activities, on or near the patio.

GSHP systems are safe and protected. With no exposed equipment outdoors, children or pets cannot injure themselves or damage exterior units. GSHPs have no open flame, flammable fuel or potentially dangerous fuel storage tanks.

A GSHP system moves warm air (90-105(F) throughout your home or business via standard ductwork. An even comfort level is created because the warm air is moved in slightly higher volumes and saturates the building with warmth more evenly. This helps even out hot or colds spots and eliminates the cold air blasts common with fossil fuel furnaces.

The buried pipe, or ground loop, is the most recent technical advancement in heat pump technology. Recently, new heat pump designs and improved buried pipe materials have been combined to make GSHP systems the most efficient heating and cooling systems available.

Nearly all GSHP system manufacturers offer a warranty for major components that is equivalent to the warranties for conventional heating and cooling systems. Manufacturers of plastic pipe used for ground loops warrant their products for 50 years.

Yes! Many GSHP systems are being installed using a multitude of systems hooked up to an array of buried vertical or horizontal loops. This simplifies zone control and internal load balancing.

GSHP systems create a huge retrofit market not subject to wild fluctuations in housing construction. There is also ample opportunity for stable growth benefiting the dealer and his employees. In addition, these systems are relatively maintenance-free, requiring only regular filter changes. This means fewer maintenance and support calls. There is no outside equipment, so wear and tear is less.

GSHPs save money, both in operating costs and maintenance costs. Investments can be recouped in as little as three years. There is a positive cash flow, since the energy savings usually exceeds payment on the system.

The initial investment for a GSHP system is greater than that of a conventional system. However, when you consider the operating costs of a geothermal heating, cooling, and water heating system, energy savings quickly offset the initial difference in purchase price.

You can expect an installation charge for any electrical work, ductwork, water hook-up, and other provisions or adaptations to your home that are required. Your installer can estimate these costs in advance.

The reduced peak load requirements would allow utilities to serve more customers and to lower fixed costs per customer, thus offsetting some increased variable costs. This would result in less cost per kilowatt, since fixed investment for new capacity is high.

Some utilities offer rebates or incentives to their customers who purchase GSHPs. To see what your state has to offer click here.

Most units are easy to install, especially when they are replacing another forced-air system. This is known as a retrofit. GSHPs can be installed in areas unsuitable for fossil fuel furnaces because there is no combustion and thus no need to vent exhaust fumes. Ductwork must be installed in homes without an existing air distribution system. Your dealer or installer can assess the cost of installing ductwork.

It's not recommended. Thermal fusion of the pipe, drilling and trenching are procedures best handled by licensed professionals. Nonprofessional installations may result in less than optimum performance, which could cancel out anticipated savings

Trenches are spaced four to five feet apart while boreholes are spaced ten to fifteen feet apart.

This depends on soil conditions, length and depth of pipe, and equipment required. A typical installation can be completed in one or two days.

With the vertical installation, time varies with conditions on the site such as type and depth of the overburden, type and hardness of the bedrock, and the presence of aquifers. Typical drilling times are one or two days; total installation can usually be accomplished in two days.

Horizontal installations are simpler, requiring lower-cost equipment. However, they require longer lengths of pipe due to seasonal variations in soil temperature and moisture content. Since a horizontal heat exchanger is laid out in trenches, a larger area is usually required than for a vertical system. Where land is limited, vertical installations or a compact Slinky™ horizontal installation can be ideal. If regional soil conditions include extensive hard rock, a vertical installation may be the only available choice. Vertical installations tend to be more expensive due to the increased cost of drilling versus trenching, but since the heat exchanger is buried deeper than with a horizontal system, vertical systems are usually more efficient and can get by with less total pipe. Your GSHP contractor will be able to help you decide which configuration best meets your specific needs.

Use a reputable contractor. Don't be afraid to ask for and use references. Reputable dealers and loop installers will be happy to give names and phone numbers for you to call and confirm their capabilities. Find out where the installer received training, whether he or she is IGSHPA-accredited, and how many systems he or she has installed. Also, check with your utility company representative for names of installers. A list of IGSHPA-trained and accredited installers is available on our website.

GSHP systems are generally sized to meet all your cooling needs. Depending on heating needs, a GSHP system usually supplies 80-100 percent of your design heating load. Sizing the system to handle your entire heating needs may result in slightly lower heating costs, but the savings may not offset the added total of the larger system. Special consideration should be given to systems in the north where multiple capacity units should be considered to handle the large variation between heating and cooling loads. Your dealer/installer should provide a heating and cooling load calculation to guide your equipment selection.

GSHP systems conserve natural resources by providing climate control very efficiently-thus also lowering emissions. GSHPs also minimize ozone layer destruction by using factory-sealed refrigeration systems, which will seldom or never have to be recharged.

Currently installed systems are making a huge difference in our environment! The systems are eliminating more than three million tons of carbon dioxide and is equivalent of taking 650,000 automobiles off the road. GSHP systems conserve energy and, because they move heat that already exists rather than burning something to create heat, they reduce the amount of toxic emissions in the atmosphere. They use renewable energy from the sun, and because the system doesn't rely on outside air, it keeps the air inside of buildings cleaner and free from pollens, outdoor pollutants, mold spores, and other allergens.

Not if a system is properly designed and installed. The three to four foot depths allow the sun to melt the frozen soil during the summer. Adequate length per ton capacity prevents objectionable soil movement.

All systems require an emergency back up. Heat pumps can provide all the heat necessary even in the coldest weather. An economic analysis by your contractor should dictate what portion of the heat should be provided by the heat pump and what portion by auxiliary means.

Yes, in most cases. Your dealer or installer will be able to determine ductwork requirements and if any minor modifications are needed.

No. Research has shown that loops have no adverse effects on grass, trees, or shrubs. Most horizontal installations require trenches about six inches wide. Temporary bare areas can be restored with grass seed or sod. Vertical loops require little space and do not damage lawns significantly.

Not at all. The system is installed deep enough that it utilizes constant ground temperature.

Yes. Called dual systems, they can easily be added to existing furnaces for those wishing to have a dual-fuel heating system. Dual-fuel systems use the GSHP system as the main heating source, and a fossil fuel furnace as a supplement in extremely cold weather should additional heat be needed.

Ground source heat pump systems will reduce your heating and cooling costs regardless of how well your home is insulated. However, insulating and weatherizing are key factors in gaining the maximum amount of savings from any type of heating and cooling system.

Electric furnaces and gas furnaces both have their pros and cons. One isn’t necessarily better than the other in general, although your particular situation might dictate choosing one over the other. But really you’ll have to decide which features you like better in order to select the type of furnace that’s best for you.

For instance, an electric furnace may be an attractive option because of its low maintenance costs. On average, electric furnaces need to be serviced about once every two years, while gas furnaces require yearly service to stay in top condition. Many people also prefer electric furnaces because they feel they’re safer, although today’s gas furnaces are quite safe to operate as well.

Gas furnaces are still the more popular choice, however, because they tend to be cheaper to install and have a higher energy efficiency rating. Electric furnaces do run silently, but the newer gas furnaces run almost as quietly, so there’s really not much difference there. However, electric furnaces do tend to last several years longer on average than a typical gas furnace, so that’s something to keep in mind as well.

You will have to consider a lot of different factors when picking out the right heating system for your home. The size and dimensions of your house will figure into the equation, as well as what types of fuel sources are available to you, what type of system you had in place before and what the particular heating needs of your family are.

This is a lot to get a handle on and can get to be pretty overwhelming, particularly if you’ve never had to purchase a new heating system before. In this type of situation, it can be helpful to get some professional advice and guidance so that you can get a better idea of what your options really are. A heating specialist can assist you by walking you through the selection process.

If you’ve been looking at various types of furnaces, you’ve probably noticed that they all have what’s referred to as an AFUE rating. This number is a reflection of the energy efficiency of the furnace, and will typically be between 80% and 98%. The higher the number, the more energy efficient the furnace is.

Although you should always take the AFUE rating into account when you’re purchasing a furnace, that doesn’t mean that you should necessarily go with the model that has the highest efficiency rating. Depending on your heating needs, an 80% AFUE furnace may be able to get the job done just fine without forcing you to incur the greater costs that come with the higher efficiency models.

The amount of time you can expect your heating system to last will depend on what type of system it is. In general, though, it’s safe to say that a new heating system you purchase today will last you 10 to 15 years. Some types of systems, like electric furnaces, can be expected to last a bit longer, but that will largely depend on the type and model of your system. In any case, keeping up with regular maintenance is one way to extend the life of your home heating system.

We can perform maintenance and repair services on just about any type of heating system you have. No matter who put in your existing system or how old it is, we’ll be happy to take care of it for you.

There are actually several situations in which you should consider replacing your current air conditioning system. For instance, if you have to call for repairs for your current system repeatedly, your system probably doesn’t have many good years left. And even if the repairs are relatively minor, they’re still costing you money every time you have someone come out.

Rather than continuing to dump money into a system that probably isn’t working all that efficiently to begin with, it makes much more sense to simply invest in a new system now. You’ll start saving right away on your energy bills and you won’t have to worry about whether or not your air conditioner is going to work on any given day.

You many even want to consider replacing an older air conditioning system that’s still working fine because newer models are so much more energy efficient than even those installed 10 years ago. Since you’ll likely have to replace your AC in a few years anyway, you’re better of investing in a new system now so that you can start saving on your energy bills right away.

Ductless split and mini split air conditioners are made up of two parts, much like a conventional air conditioning system. However, the outdoor compressor and indoor wall–mounted units are connected to each other only by a refrigerant line rather than the more traditional ductwork. That means that mini–split systems are much easier to install in places that don’t already have ductwork or where it wouldn’t be practical to try and fit ducts in.

The other main difference between ductless air conditioning units and other types of central air conditioning systems is that the indoor unit mounted on the wall or the ceiling in your room is where the actual cooling takes place. You can adjust the temperature in the room directly from there, giving you a much more refined control over your indoor conditions.

Quite possibly. Mini–splits are a good option for a lot of people, particularly those who don’t already have ducts in place in their home. You may also want to look into a mini–split system if you’ve recently added an addition onto your home and don’t want to have to pay to extend the ducts from the rest of your house into the addition.

While the life expectancy of a new air conditioning system can vary a good deal from one brand and model to another, most new systems being installed these days can be expected to last from 10 to 15 years. However, this will still depend on how much you use your system and how well you keep it maintained over the years. In fact, some air conditioners that receive proper maintenance can even exceed their projected lifespan by several years.

Just like most other large pieces of equipment, your air conditioning system requires a tune–up every now and then. This will help to keep it working at peak capacity and reduce the chances that you’ll lose any significant amount of energy efficiency over time.

The air conditioning professional who carries out your annual maintenance visit will also be able to check your system thoroughly for any defects or damages. They will also often be able to catch problems before they get out of hand and can greatly reduce the chances that you’ll need emergency repairs later on.

In evaluating the viability of switching to geothermal power, you will have to take many different factors into consideration. For instance, you will need to have enough space around your house for the installation to be carried out. You will also need to know how much you currently spend on home cooling and heating costs so that you can get a good sense of how much you stand to save by switching to geothermal.

You can certainly figure out a lot of this on your own, but it can also be helpful to talk to an experienced professional as you try and work through your options. They will likely be able to point out benefits and drawbacks of a geothermal system that you may not have thought of otherwise and can they help you put together a realistic picture of how much you will stand to save by switching to this type of system.

A geothermal heat pump is able to warm your house in the winter by extracting heat from the ground and transferring that heat into your house. In order for this to happen, however, a loop of pipe needs to be installed under the ground around your home. Liquid, usually a mixture of water and antifreeze, is circulated through this loop of pipe and as it passes through the area surrounded by soil, the liquid absorbs heat.

Once it returns to your house, the heat in the liquid is released and used to heat the air, which can then be circulated throughout your house by a blower and air handler. After it has released its heat, the liquid then cycles back down into the underground portion of pipe loop and begins the process all over again.

In the summer, this cycle can actually be reversed so that the heat is absorbed from inside your house and transferred to the ground just outside. The simple fact that the ground is always cooler than the air in summer and warmer than the air in winter makes all of this possible.

The specific amount you will save when you switch to geothermal power for your home heating and cooling needs will depend to a great degree on how much you are currently spending and how much you use your heating and cooling systems. In general, however, a geothermal heat pump is between 50% and 70% more energy efficient than other types of heating systems available and between 20% and 40% more efficient than a typical central air conditioning system.

The type of geothermal loop installation that will be appropriate for your home will depend for the most part on how much space you have surrounding your house and what type of climate you live in. While all geothermal heating systems can still extract heat from the ground even when the top layer is frozen, you may want to opt for a vertical installation if the ground in your area is frozen for a large part of the year.

A vertical installation is also a better option when you do not have enough space around your home to accommodate a horizontal installation. However, a horizontal installation can work perfectly well in moderate climates and is generally cheaper than a vertical one.

It may very well be. While the truth is that solar power is not an option for everyone, it is quite viable in more areas than you may think. In order to take full advantage of solar power to heat your home or provide you with electricity, you need to have adequate sun exposure on a regular basis and enough space to put up the appropriate number of solar panels on your property.

In general, solar panels are installed on the roof, but they can also be placed at other points on your property if those get the right amount of sun. You should also keep in mind that you do not have to go all solar right away – or ever. Solar hot water heaters are a great addition to any home and are relatively inexpensive to install. However, they will save you quite a bit in the long run and you can always build on that installation to make use of solar power to satisfy more and more of your home energy needs.

Yes, you can. Once you have a solar power system installed for your home, you will pay virtually nothing in terms of energy cost for the systems you are running off of the solar cells. This may consist of only your hot water or it may include all of your electricity needs. Regardless, though, the solar power you can run these systems off of is free and will mean that you simply do not have to pay the power company for the energy you use.

Of course, it is true that having a solar power system installed can cost you quite a bit up front, but you will quickly recoup that cost with the monthly savings you will receive. In terms of the total amount that you will save, that will vary depending on a variety of factors related to your individual situation. To calculate that kind of savings, you will need to sit down and figure out how much you currently spend and what your total energy usage is now and in the future. Each person’s total savings will vary depending on their particular situation, but the savings will always be there in some form or another.

Solar power systems require very little maintenance, mostly because they do not have many moving parts. There is little opportunity for anything to go wrong with your solar power system simply because it is not particularly complicated to begin with.

However, that does not mean that you can completely disregard maintenance on this system altogether. A solar power system still needs to get some professional attention now and then, and it is also helpful if you can learn to do a few minor things that will help to keep your system in good working order for many years to come.

Solar power systems are actually quite simple and relatively quick to install. Compared to other types of home energy systems, they have very few parts and require little intrusive work to put in place. Of course, the larger your system is, the longer installation will take. But it will generally never take longer to install a solar power system than it would to install any other type of home heating or power system. And solar power is definitely quicker and easier to install than geothermal, which requires substantial excavation on your property.

High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are extremely effective at removing many types of contaminants from your indoor air. In fact, they can reliably remove up to 99.97% of particles measuring 0.3 microns or more in diameter.

This covers many of the common indoor air contaminants you may have a problem with. Most people need to remove both large and small particles from their indoor air, and HEPA filters are certainly a great asset when you’re trying to accomplish this. While they are not the only type of mechanical filter on the market today, HEPA filters are certainly the most effective. If you’re going to invest in some type of mechanical filtration, a HEPA filter is really the only one you should go for.

While things like HEPA filters and air ionizers can remove many types of particulate air contaminants, both large and small, they are not often particularly effective against germs like the bacteria and viruses that are routinely floating around your house. UV germicidal lights, on the other hand, can be extremely effective and efficient at killing those germs.

UV germicidal lights are usually used as part of a complete air quality improvement system. They’re typically placed just past the HEPA filter or other purification device so that they can catch the viruses and bacteria that pass through these other filtration systems. Once they are exposed to the UV radiation produced by the lights, these germs are quickly killed and cannot continue to circulate throughout your house.

There are many factors to consider when you’re trying to select the right air cleaner for your home. One of the main things to keep in mind is that not all air cleaners are equally as good at removing certain types of particulate contaminants. For instance, some are better at catching larger particles, while others do a better job of trapping small particles and absorbing odors.

Of course, you’ll also have to take into account the size and dimensions of your home as you make your selection. You want to make sure that the air cleaner you choose is going to be able to handle the volume of air that will pass through it each day, but you don’t want to go needlessly overboard and spend more than is necessary for something that you didn’t really need.

You’ll also need to have some idea about how significant your indoor air quality problem is so that you’ll know the system you buy can handle that level of contamination. With all of these elements to take into account, it can be pretty tough to sort through all of your options on your own. Professional advice can definitely come in handy.

Each type of filter will probably come with its own recommendations in terms of a replacement timeline. However, it’s generally a good rule of thumb to change your filter at least once every 90 days. Some super high efficiency filters can go considerably longer without being changed, however, and if you have a very high contaminant load, you may need to change it more often than the manufacturer recommends.