Retrofit your home with a geothermal heat system

Years ago, geothermal heat systems were generally installed in new construction settings. Thanks to improvements in technology over the last several years, geothermal heat systems are also an option for existing homes. Retrofits can be performed using selected strategies to integrate a geothermal heat system for your current home. A great way for homeowners to reduce energy use, these systems can add value to your existing home and lower daily energy expenses.

One element that once caused owners of existing homes to shy away from geothermal heat systems was the placement of the ground loop. The ground loop, or earth loop, is a necessary component of a geothermal heat system, which facilitates the collection of energy from the Earth’s consistent underground temperatures.  Placing the ground loop requires digging, as it is generally buried under the frost line around the existing dwelling. Vertical placement is now an option, as opposed to horizontal placement, which makes a geothermal heat system a good option for homeowners worried about interfering with outdoor property features.

When retrofitting a geothermal heat system for existing homes, there are products available to minimize alterations and take advantage of the home’s existing elements. If your home is currently using a forced-air heating system, your new geothermal heat system can be installed to use the duct work that is currently in place. Another option would be to incorporate a geothermal split system, which keeps your existing furnace in place as a backup heat source, creating a hybrid heat system.

If a new heating system is in your home’s future, don’t overlook considering a geothermal heat system as a replacement system. Geothermal heat systems can be retrofit to your existing home without extensive alterations, providing an easy to install and use option for heating your home. To learn more about the many benefits a geothermal heat system can offer your family, or about how simple a retrofit can be, contact Smith Sustainable Design. Our knowledgeable team will expertly retrofit your new geothermal heat system, addressing any concerns along the way.

Switch to a geothermal heating and cooling system for savings

As you know, retrofitting your current home with a new geothermal heating and cooling system can be done with minimal alterations, making it an excellent choice for replacing your home’s existing systems. Depending on your home’s current system, your new geothermal system may be able to utilize existing elements, reducing the need to install additional components. While geothermal heating and cooling systems are a great option for almost any home, there are a few specific reasons why replacing your old equipment with a geothermal system is a smart choice.

Longer service life

The average forced air furnace and air conditioner have a service life of only about twelve years. If your home’s current heating and cooling systems are nearing or past this important milestone, it’s time to begin investigating replacement options no matter what type of system you’re considering. A geothermal heating and cooling system can last you longer than two or more furnaces or air conditioners can; indoor components of a geothermal heating and cooling system have a life expectancy of twenty or more years, and outdoor components can last over fifty years.

Increased efficiency

As they age, the efficiency of a forced air furnace or air conditioning system is reduced year after year, especially when routine maintenance is neglected. Plus, older models weren’t as efficient as newer equipment is to begin with; so if your home’s furnace or air conditioner was new several years ago, its inefficiency is likely leading to higher energy bills for your family. Geothermal heating and cooling systems boast an impressive four to five hundred percent efficiency, drastically reducing your energy bills compared to your home’s former systems. With routine maintenance and care, geothermal heating and cooling systems can maintain this high level of efficiency year after year, benefiting your family longer than forced air furnaces and air conditioners.

If you are ready to replace your forced air heating and cooling equipment with a new geothermal heating and cooling system, contact Smith Sustainable Design for more information about the products and systems we install. Our expert team can provide more details to help you evaluate your current equipment and learn how a new geothermal heating and cooling system will be a wise investment for your family.

Geothermal heating systems: get in the loop

Geothermal heating systems make use of the Earth’s energy to heat, and cool, your home. By tapping into the consistent underground temperatures below your home, geothermal heating systems provide a natural way to stay warm no matter what temperature the air may be outside. How do geothermal heating systems capture this energy? The answer is the ground loop, a crucial component of any geothermal heating system.

When a geothermal heating system is installed, a ground loop is placed underground near the home. The ground loop is made up of polyethylene or pex-a piping. The ground loop is filled with fluid which collects the Earth’s underground temperatures and conducts this energy for use in the home.

Each system’s ground loop is designed based on several factors, including soil type, climate, size of the structure, and the orientation of the structure in relationship to the lot. Closed-loop systems, including horizontal, vertical, and pond loop systems, use loops of installed piping to facilitate heat exchange. Horizontal and vertical systems are buried underground, and pond loop systems are installed in sizeable bodies of water, like a nearby pond or lake. Open-loop systems utilize clean groundwater for energy, tapping into a well to gain heat in the winter, and deposit heat in the summer. Whichever loop system is recommended for your geothermal heating system, they each have approximately the same operating costs as well as efficiency. A quality loop installation for your geothermal heating system will help your loop last longer.

For more information on geothermal heating systems, stay in the loop with Smith Sustainable Design. Call us today to learn more about loop design options for a new geothermal heating system, or how to maintain the components of your current system.

Zoning a geothermal heating and cooling system

Maximize the efficiency of your geothermal heating and cooling system by pairing it with a zoning system. Zoning provides further control over your home or business’s heating and cooling use to further improve the overall efficiency of your system. Read on to learn more about zoning systems, and how they can be used with your geothermal heating and cooling system.

Many heating and cooling systems use the same settings for the entire structure, which can result in uneven temperatures as well as wasted energy. Not all spaces are created equal, so applying the same settings for use in every space can be an inefficient use of energy. Many spaces experience common problems, such as upper levels being much warmer than lower levels. With a geothermal heating and cooling system which doesn’t have zoning, you can’t adjust the thermostat to only provide additional cooling upstairs. To cool the upper levels, you would also be adding additional cooling downstairs where it is not needed, wasting energy as well as possibly making the area too cold for comfort.

Zoning systems work to increase the efficiency of your geothermal heating and cooling system by providing more control over how you use this energy within your spaces. By dividing your home or office into zones, a zoning system allows you to control how your geothermal heating and cooling system conditions each space independent of the others.

With a zoning system, you’ll control each zone’s conditions by using an individual thermostat. Using the zone’s thermostat, you can adjust temperature settings without affecting other areas of your home or office. Also, you can turn restrict the use of your geothermal heating and cooling system in specific zones when these areas are not in use, reducing energy waste. Maximize efficiency even further by using programmable thermostats in each zone, which can help you control energy use automatically.

Adding zoning for your geothermal heating and cooling system is a great solution to increase comfort throughout your home or office, as well as maximize on the energy savings your system can provide. To learn more about zoning solutions for your geothermal heating and cooling system, contact Smith Sustainable Design.

Geothermal heating and cooling system myth busting

When investigating the world of geothermal heating and cooling systems, it’s crucial to know the facts from fiction. There are many misconceptions about geothermal heating and cooling technology which simply are not true. Here are a few of the most common myths about geothermal heating and cooling systems, and the facts you can use to make well-informed decisions for your home or business.

A geothermal heating and cooling system can’t handle cold winters

Despite the temperature above ground, a few feet below the surface, the Earth’s temperature remains a fairly constant temperature of 54 degrees. A geothermal heating and cooling system accesses these consistent below-ground temperatures to extract warmth to heat your home. Using the Earth’s energy, these systems should be able to keep your home at a comfortable temperature on the coldest of days.

Geothermal heating and cooling systems require backup heat

While many geothermal heating and cooling systems are installed in addition to a new or existing backup heat source, it isn’t required. Your geothermal heating and cooling system can provide enough energy to heat your home with proper sizing and installation.

A geothermal heating and cooling system can’t be installed on a small lot

Geothermal design is flexible and can be used on lots big to small! Many people often think that geothermal heating and cooling systems can’t be used if the soil or terrain of their land is not ideal, but this is simply untrue. Working with a qualified geothermal design and install team, like Smith Sustainable Design, will show you how these “obstacles” are really not a big issue.

Geothermal heating and cooling systems are only for new homes

You don’t have to build a new home to install a geothermal heating and cooling system. While geothermal systems can be integrated more conveniently during construction, retrofitting your current home is common. Geothermal heating and cooling systems are a great option for home and business owners who are faced with replacing an aging heating or cooling system, or upgrading equipment.

Geothermal heating and cooling systems are new

Geothermal heating and cooling systems aren’t a new way to keep your home or business comfortable. Naturally-occurring geothermal hot springs in North America were an attractive location for early Native Americans to settle. In the 1940s, the first groundwater heat pump was developed to others to use the Earth’s naturally-occurring energy to heat and cool homes and buildings. As technology has advanced, efficiency has improved upon this same concept.

If you have any questions about geothermal heating and cooling systems, call Smith Sustainable Design for reliable information and advice. We will provide the geothermal facts you’re looking for, and can help you choose a geothermal system for your home or business.

Geothermal heating systems are the greenest choice

Many homeowners, as well as business owners, are concerned about reducing their environmental impact. The market is flooded with “green” products for your home or business, offering ways to improve efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and more. Out of all the products and systems available to you, none is as “green” or environmentally-friendly as a geothermal heating system.

A vast majority of the homes and businesses in the United States rely on fossil fuels to provide energy for heating and cooling. The average home spends around 50 percent of its total energy consumption towards heating and cooling. The gas furnaces found in many homes cannot produce heat as efficiently as a geothermal heating system, using more energy and expending valuable fossil fuels to get the job done.

Geothermal heating systems have the largest positive impact on the environment because of their efficient energy use. They make use of the natural energy found within the Earth instead of burning fossil fuels directly for heating your home or business. A geothermal heating system uses the Earth’s energy as well as electricity to operate, so no harmful combustion byproducts or greenhouse gases are produced directly from operation. While fossil fuels are used to produce electricity, a geothermal heating system uses a larger percentage of natural, geothermal energy compared to electricity for operation. This allows your geothermal system to conserve electricity, and lower energy consumption.

There is a reason geothermal heating systems make up over half of the world’s direct geothermal usage. Their high-efficiency use of energy allows these systems to be more effective in reducing environmental impact compared to other green products and systems available. Turn your home into a true “green” house by installing a geothermal heating system. You’ll reduce your carbon footprint, as well as save money on heating and cooling costs. Call Smith Sustainable Design today for more information.

Benefits of Geothermal Heat Pump Systems Part 2

In the second installment of our two-part series, we’ll examine additional benefits of heat pump systems. These geothermal heating systems allow you to reduce your energy consumption, and lower your energy bills. Because of this factor, geothermal heat pump systems are a smart choice for the environment.

Geothermal Heat Pump Systems use less energy

The difference in energy needed to operate a geothermal heat pump system compared to a furnace is drastic. Geothermal heat pumps also require much less energy to operate than other types of heat pumps, such as air source heat pumps. Because of their low energy usage compared to other heating and cooling systems, using a geothermal heat pump system can reduce your energy bills significantly. Their improved efficiency allows homeowners to recoup installation costs in a matter of a few years in many cases.

Geothermal Heat Pump Systems provide free hot water

A geothermal system not only keeps your indoor spaces at a comfortable temperature, it also provides hot water for your home. Your geothermal heat pump system can transfer the excess heat it creates to your hot water tank. Because the geothermal system heats your water, too, you’ll pay less for hot water year-round. Receive hundreds of gallons of free hot water each year, courtesy of your geothermal heat pump system.

Geothermal Heat Pump Systems are better for the environment

If you’re concerned about your home’s eco footprint, geothermal heat pump systems are a better choice for the environment. Geothermal systems are also incredibly efficient, as much as 600 percent on even the coldest days. Higher efficiency means less energy must be used to keep your home comfortable. Because of the lower amount of energy they require to operate, the impact on the environment from using these systems is much less than a gas or electric furnace.

If you’re ready to take advantage of the benefits a geothermal heat pump system can offer, contact us today. Smith Sustainable Design will plan and install the ideal geothermal system for your home, allowing you to reap the benefits of a high-efficiency, long-lasting, environmentally-friendly way to keep your home comfortable.