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Geothermal Systems

Your own backyard has the potential to be your source of heating and cooling comfort. Now you can get safe, reliable, energy efficient heating and cooling from one piece of equipment. Geothermal energy represents the leading edge of heating and cooling technology. It moves heat energy to and from the earth to heat and cool your indoor environment. And compared to ordinary systems, geothermal technology can save you 30% to 60% on your monthly energy bills. Geothermal is the safest, cleanest, most reliable space conditioning system you can buy.

Geothermal energy is an unlimited resource. The lot surrounding a suburban home or other building contains a vast reservoir of low temperature thermal energy, typically 10 times that required over an entire heating season. This resource is constantly resupplied by the sun, the surrounding earth, and heat rejected while cooling during the summer. The universal definition of geothermal is "...pertaining to the heat of the earth." By using the earth to provide up to 50% of a building's total heating and cooling needs, GHP systems are truly geothermal energy made practical.

Four basic types of geothermal energy sources:
 

Four times the efficiency.
A geothermal system uses the Earth's thermal properties in conjunction with electricity to provide unprecedented efficiency. For every unit of electricity the system uses, it provides four units of heating energy, giving a geothermal system a 400% efficiency rating on average. These numbers can translate into real savings on your utility bills year-round.

Here are some advantages for Geothermal ownership.

Lower operating costs: The Geothermal system operates more efficiently than ordinary heating and air conditioning systems-30% to 60% in most cases.

Comfortable: Because the unit uses the relatively stable temperature of the earth as an energy source, you are assured of constant, even winter heating and better humidity control in summer.

Safe and clean: No flame, no flue, no odors, just safe reliable operation year after year.
Flexibility: The unit provides heating, central air conditioning and hot water all from the same compact unit.

Economical Water Heating: Water heating can be a significant energy expense. Geothermal units can reduce the high cost of water heating by as much as 66%.

Attractive: The completely self contained indoor unit needs no noisy, unsightly outside condensing unit.

Environment: The system emits no carbon dioxide, which is considered a major contributor to environmental air pollution.

Premier Indoor Comfort Systems is the proud installer of WaterFurnace geothermal heating and cooling systems.

What is a ground source heat pump?
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.

How do ground source heat pumps work?
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.

For closed loop systems, water or antifreeze solution is circulated through plastic pipes buried beneath the earth's surface. During the winter, the fluid collects heat from the earth and carries it through the system and into the building. During the summer, the system reverses itself to cool the building by pulling heat from the building, carrying it through the system and placing it in the ground. This process creates free hot water in the summer and delivers substantial hot water savings in the winter.

Open loop systems operate on the same principle as closed loop systems and can be installed where an adequate supply of suitable water is available and open discharge is feasible. Benefits similar to the closed loop system are obtained.