Friday, November 1, 2013

Geothermal Systems And How They Work

By Dino Harder


It is not surprising for homeowners today to invest in heating and cooling systems. This is because everyone wants to make their space as comfortable as possible regardless of the weather changes. These systems will keep your place under the desired warmth regardless of the hot summer months. The situation goes the same with the cold winter months, when your house is kept warm amidst the cold months. However, investing on any heating and cooling systems won't be enough. You should also consider having a system installed in your home that does not contribute further carbon footprint to the atmosphere. These systems make use of geothermal energy to heat and cool the home.

Investing on a geothermal system will provide you tremendous benefits compared to other common heating and cooling systems. First, they are suitable for all kinds of properties, from commercial to residential. Notably, this system is more cost-effective than other heating and cooling units sold in the market. It all makes perfect sense to invest in such system because of the fluctuating prices of oil and fuel. This is a type of system that makes use of renewable energy which also adds value to the equity of your house. Due to these among other benefits, geothermal heating and cooling systems are rapidly increasing in popularity. Unlike decades ago when this system was viewed as an alternative to home heating and cooling, these days, it is a leading option amongst environmentally conscious homeowners.

So, how does geothermal system work?

A standard geothermal home heating and cooling unit comes with 2 key components:

1. Externally is a unit of high density polythene pipe buried in a horizontal or vertical position. preferably called and referred to as ground loop because it has heat transferring fluid that has a steady temperature parallel to the earth surrounding. The fluid is accountable for heat transfer from or to the earth. When in cooling mode, the fluid will discharge heat but, when in heating mode, it removes the heat.

2. Internally is a heat pump as well as a pumping arrangement that coveys the heat supplied by the loop. This can be well realized by the common refrigeration process which transfers heating or cooling by forced air or water.

The function of the heat pump is closely similar to a home refrigerator where it removes the heat from the items stored and passes the heat into the room by coils located at the back of the ref. As already indicated, the heat pump heats or cools, hence you do not need separate units for heating and air conditioning.

After circulating through the buried loop, the fluid is then piped into the home where it is joined to the heat exchanger in the heat pump. During winter months, the fluid in the loop extracts heat from the earth redirects it in the home. In summer, the process is reversed. The heat from your home will be harvested by the fluid and then it will send the heat into the earth.

Regardless of what type of home style you have, this geothermal system can be installed. Whether you decide to install the piping under your lawn or just within the driveway, this system is versatile and adaptable to the environment. The heat pumps can also exchange heat with nearby water bodies like wells and lakes. A heat pump that uses well water, before it returns the heat to the ground via the second well included will first circulate the water straight through the system.

The heat pump of the said geothermal system makes use of desuperheater. This has the ability to significantly cut down your water heating bills. During summer months, it harnesses "waste" heat from the air conditioning unit to warm the water. During winter, it diverts some of the heat from the heat pump to the water heating platform.

Cost of geothermal heat pumps

The 2009 Economic Stimulus Recovery act eliminated the cap on geothermal heat pump systems for residential installations. it made residential areas (homeowners) eligible for 30% tax incentive from the whole system cost. That said, it is important to note that the cost of a geothermal heat pump vary depending on whether the system is coming with a vertical or horizontal loop. Usually, a house of 2500 square feet with 60,000BTU heating and cooling load would cost about 25,000 US dollars for complete installation. While this is about twice the cost of the traditional heating, cooling and hot water system, a geothermal unit can minimize your energy bills by up to 60%. Geothermal system lasts to up to 23 years with period of payback of around 10 years.

A geothermal system is a perfect way to green your home and save money while reducing your carbon footprint. Nevertheless, you need to fully re-assess the average energy that you home needs before deciding to install such system. Besides reducing your utility bills, a more energy efficient home will also greatly maximize your home's equity value.

To understand further about Geothermal Heating and Cooling and find out How Geothermal Energy Is Produced.




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