The coils are looped underwater rather than in the ground. Any installation contractor should be experienced in this unique type of installation. It may require permits or approval from environmental authorities to build a lake or pond closed loop system.
An open loop system connects geothermal pipes to a well. Heat is extracted from the well water rather than the ground itself. The well water is pumped to the heat pump via a supply well, and then returned to a second well. This type of system is rarely ideal because it requires additional pumping power if the well is particularly deep. You also need to make sure your heat pump is regularly cleaned of minerals found in the well water.
It depends. If you have a lot of land or a big space to heat and cool, a geothermal system can give you a quick return on your investment. These quiet, invisible powerhouses are already popular abroad. Photo courtesy of CGM Services. Photo courtesy of Symbiont Service Corp. Generous federal tax credits, coupled with the desire to reduce energy costs without sacrificing comfort, have encouraged many homeowners to purchase geothermal heat pumps GHPs over the last several years.
While many of these contractors have undergone extensive training and took the time to properly design and install their GHP systems, others may not have been so careful.
He said contractors must be willing to push aside their preconceived notions when designing geothermal projects. Geo takes more than being good with your hands, being honest, and showing up on time.
It comes down to proper design and installation, which are crucial, said Niesen, because many perceive geothermal as an experimental technology where one highly publicized mistake can wipe out 25 good installs. Even a job next door can vary greatly. The earth is very unpredictable, and no one has X-ray eyes to see down into the ground to know how it will transfer heat. On some jobs, a hole 20 feet away yields a completely different conductivity.
Incorrectly sized ductwork is one of the biggest problems he encounters, followed by the rule of thumb that states not to exceed the cooling load by more than 25 percent to handle the heating load. Western Pennsylvania is heating dominant, and the results of this installation would be less than desirable, as the GHP would be severely undersized for the dominant load.
Until the ground is hardened, we recommend placing a sheet of plywood or something similar over the tire path to distribute the load of any vehicles driving over it. We would not recommend planting trees over where ground loops are installed for 2 primary reasons:. Ask your geothermal installer about the safest distance you can install trees near your ground loops. Geothermal installation by itself should have no significant impact on radon levels inside the home.
If any homeowner has concerns about radon in their home, we recommend they contact a mitigation professional. Share this article. Follow Us. Recent Posts. Get the latest news and stories about geothermal straight to your inbox. Full Name This field is required.
Email This field is required. Dandelion is currently working on a new and improved home geothermal offering for Summer Dandelion is not yet available in your area, but Dandelion selects communities for expansion based on homeowner interest. Enable Cookies. Go Back. Search Introduction. Geothermal Heat Pump Systems Reference. Pipe Joining.
0コメント