Go green with a geothermal heating system

Homeowners today are looking for alternatives to make their home a greener place. From using recycled building materials to choosing energy-efficient appliances, there are many ways to green a home. Installing a geothermal heating system is a significant step for homeowners, and one of the most environmentally friendly steps which can be taken, in the journey towards going green.

Geothermal heating systems use natural energy to heat and cool and home, not fossil fuels. Solar energy which hits the Earth’s surface every day is absorbed into the ground. A geothermal heating system taps into that energy. Using this energy source is very environmentally friendly, because fossil fuels are not burned and greenhouse gases are not emitted during the heating process.

While geothermal heating systems use natural energy, they also use this energy more efficiently. The temperature below ground stays at approximately 54 degrees Fahrenheit all year long, so the heat pump doesn’t use more energy to compensate for temperature fluctuations. Air source heat pumps use energy from the air outdoors, which as we know, can vary greatly even over the course of a day.

With these energy saving features, homeowners who have a geothermal heating system installed also save money. The average household benefits from energy savings of approximately 70 percent. Plus, water heating expenses can also be saved, as geothermal heating systems can be configured to provide hot water, too. A geothermal heating system allows you to use less energy for three of the major energy expenders in your home: heating, cooling, and water heating.

Choosing a geothermal heating system will help your home become a much greener place. Heating and cooling alone accounts for about 50 percent of the average home’s energy use- doesn’t this seem like the perfect place to start?

Make the switch to a geothermal heat system and save

Geothermal heat systems can be installed in existing homes. Often times, they are a great alternative to oil, propane, or natural gas. When it’s time to replace your current heating system, switching to geothermal can definitely help you save.

Homeowners who switch from oil, propane, or natural gas to a geothermal heating system are overall very pleased with the results. Besides from just heating your home, a geothermal heating system also offers cooling and  hot water assist, which can further reduce your costs. The hot water assist package can save homeowners about 60 percent on their domestic water heating. In the wintertime, geothermal heat systems offer comfortable, even heat throughout the home.

When switching to a geothermal heat system, your home may require a few alterations to maximize the efficiency of the new system. For instance, duct work will be evaluated and may be sealed to prevent air leaks which reduce the efficiency of the new system. Upgrades may need to be made to your electrical service to ensure the load created by the ground source heat pump can be handled.

When it’s time to replace your current heating system, consider replacing it with a geothermal heat system. Smith Sustainable Design can show you how switching to geothermal heat can be a benefit to your comfort and your wallet.

Ground Loop Sizing and Groundwater Levels: Important components of a geothermal heating and cooling system

Often during the hot summer months, New Jersey and Pennsylvania may go without rain for a period of time, creating drought conditions. While the brown grass is an obvious sign that the ground is dry, underground water levels are also subsiding. Lowered underground water levels affect the steady underground temperatures your geothermal heating and cooling system depend on to keep your home cool during the summer. Homeowners with horizontal loops which are not buried deep into the ground and those with inappropriately sized systems may experience cooling troubles during these dry periods.

When systems are undersized, there aren’t enough loops to exchange heat in the ground, which hurts during these dry times. More loops could be placed, but this investment would be pretty great just to solve a problem that only affects a home during extreme weather periods that aren’t typical.

Luckily, extreme droughts don’t seem to damage geothermal heating and cooling systems- they only affect their power to sufficiently cool the home. Your system has controls which will shut down if conditions that are too extreme for operation are detected. If this happens, simply call the installer to come check components such as water flow and refrigerant levels to ensure the system is in good condition.

Picking a quality geothermal heating and cooling system installer to do your initial installation and system design can help you combat the possibility of being affected during times of drought. The qualified installers at Smith Sustainable Design take these factors into consideration when designing your system to ensure you’ll receive optimal cooling when you need it. We’ll discuss the proper placement of ground loops and whether.

Storm proof your HVAC with a geothermal heating and cooling system

From hurricanes to hail storms and snow storms, New Jersey and Pennsylvania residents see their fair share of inclement weather. Outdoor HVAC components, like traditional air conditioner units, can be ravaged by bad storms. Flooding can cause underground fuel tanks used in heating to rise. The storms we experience can do a number on this equipment, rendering it useless or in need of expensive repairs.

Geothermal heating and cooling systems are a storm proof choice. Components are buried underground and housed inside your home. They are not subjected to harsh outdoor elements like other equipment is.

After Hurricane Sandy, many homeowners in New Jersey and Pennsylvania areas began searching for information about geothermal heating and cooling systems. These homeowners had experienced major losses and were looking for alternatives to protect their heating and cooling systems from weather damage. Often times, homeowners were considering a switch to geothermal heating and cooling systems before damage was incurred, and decide to make the jump when their old equipment is damaged beyond repair.

The rise in geothermal heating and cooling system installations in the area poses great benefits to the homes and buildings where they are being added. The protected components will save owners money in the long run, sparing damage expenses and insurance damage claims. Geothermal heating and cooling systems are also reducing the emissions of the buildings where they are installed. With over 40 percent of the world’s energy use being consumed by buildings, geothermal heating and cooling systems are substantially lowering the amount of energy needed to fuel the heating and cooling needs.

If you’re looking for an HVAC alternative that can stand up even to the toughest weather conditions, consider a geothermal heating and cooling system. Smith Sustainable Design is an experienced geothermal heating and cooling system installer who can provide additional details of their benefits for your application.