Friday 18 October 2013

Geothermal Systems And How They Work

By Leandra Strauch


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. During hot summer months, these systems can help keep your home cool and fresh. And during cold winter months, these systems work to keep your home warm. If you need to reduce your carbon footprint and play your part in conserving the environment while providing comfort to your family, then you need to consider investing in geothermal systems. These systems utilize geothermal energy to heat and cool the home.

There are several benefits that you can recognize by investing in a geothermal heating and cooling system for your home. First and foremost, they are compatible to any types of establishments, whether commercial or residential buildings. The other significant benefit of investing in a geothermal home heating and cooling system is the reasonable price. With the era of affordable oil well behind us, investing in a home heating and cooling that utilizes renewable energy makes perfect sense. In addition, investing in a renewable energy system is a wonderful way of adding value to your home's equity. Because of such benefits, many homeowners and businessmen have utilized the system in their places. 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 owners.

So, how do geothermal home heating and cooling system function?

A geothermal system unit comes with two major components:

1. Externally. This has polythene pipe of high density buried either in a vertical or horizontal position. This is referred to as the loop and it contains a heat transferring fluid which typically stays at the same temperature as the surrounding earth. The fluid is responsible for heat transfer from or to the earth. The fluid releases heat to the earth in the cooling mode and removes heat from it in the heating mode.

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 eliminates 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, therefore you do not need separate units for heating and air conditioning.

When done circulating through the ground loop, the fluid will be delivered to homes by means of pipe and then connected to heat pump's heat exchanger. During winter months, the fluid in the loop extracts heat from the earth redirects it in the home. However, in summer time all the processes are reversed. The fluid harvests heat from the rooms before sending it into the earth.

This home heating and cooling unit can be installed in any home---location notwithstanding. You can install the piping in the landscaped area, under a lawn, within the home or in the driveway. The heat pumps can also exchange heat with nearby water bodies like wells and lakes. If you install a heat pump that utilizes well water, then the water will be circulated right through the system before it is returned to the ground through the second well on the property.

A geothermal heat pump is able to use a device referred to as a "assess" that slashes down on your home's water heating costs. During summer months, it harnesses "waste" heat from the air conditioning unit to warm the water. For winter season, the process is diverted. This is when the heat coming from the heat pump is diverted to the system.

Cost of geothermal heat pumps

When 2009 Economic Stimulus Recovery act stripped off the cap for geothermal systems, Thus, homeowners are qualified for a federal tax incentive of up to 30% of the cost of the system. Having said that, it is of great importance to put in mind the cost and that it varies on where it is coming from (whether from horizontal or vertical loop) Commonly, a house of 2500 square feet with 60,000BTU heating and cooling load would cost about 25,000 US dollars for full installation. By calculation we can see that the cost is twice higher than traditional heating and cooling systems but, this will reduce any future expenses on electricity bills by significantly around 60%. Geothermal system lasts to up to 23 years with period of payback of around 10 years.

This has been the most compatible system to create an eco-friendly system in your home while reducing energy bill costs. Nonetheless, before installing this system, you need to evaluate your home's energy needs. Plus, re-consider its capacity to reduce utility bills and to add value to your home's equity.

To understand further about Geothermal Heating and Cooling and find out How Geoexchange Systems Work.




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