Geothermal Technology: How it Works

Geothermal systems get most of their energy from the consistent temperature of the earth. In our northern climate, the earth remains a constant 50 to 55 degrees year round.

In the winter time, this heat is absorbed by the loop system and carried into the geothermal furnace where it is compressed to a higher temperature. The result is a warm and comfortable home.

In the summer time, the process is reversed. The warmth of the air in the home is absorbed by the geothermal furnace and deposited into the cooler earth through the loop system. The result is a cool, dehumidified, comfortable home.

While heating and cooling the home, some geothermal furnaces can capture excess heat and use it to heat hot water for your domestic use.

Try our savings calculator to find out how much you could save on your utility bills by switching to geothermal for your heating and cooling needs!

Benefits
Clean	no combustion, more run time for air filtration
Quiet	insulated cabinet and duct work, soft start fans, wrapped compressors
Safe	no flame or exhaust from combustion
Environmentally Friendly	gets most of its energy from the renewable energy stored in the earth
Efficient	1 unit of electricity combined with up to 4 units of energy from the earth = effective 500% efficiency
Flexible	one furnace to perform many tasks: heating, cooling, hot water, radiant heating
Reliable	few moving parts, all inside the home away from the harsh elements

	Horizontal loops are installed using a backhoe or excavator. Trenches are dug approximately 5.5 feet deep by 30" wide. Coils of pipe are rolled in the trench from the beginning of the trench to the end and back. One continuous pipe is used for each circuit. Once all of the pipe is rolled out, the trenches are backfilled with the same soil as excavated. These trenches are typically left in a mounded condition to allow for natural settling. The length and number of these trenches is determined by the total required heating and cooling for the home. Generall speaking, an area of 1/2 acre or more is needed to install this style of loop system.
	Vertical loops are usually installed on smaller subdivision properties or where future land use requires the loop field to be kept to a smaller area. With vertical installations, a well driller will drill one hole for each ton of geothermal equipment. The depth of these holes is determined by the required heating and cooling of the home and by the drilling conditions. Occasionally, more than one hole per ton is needed if the drilling conditions are poor. The holes are placed 10 feet apart from one another.
	Pond loops are used when a pond is either already present or when one needs to be constructed for water retention or backfill of a new home. In order for the pond to be considered, it must have a surface area of 3000 sq. ft. per ton of equipment and have a consistent depth of 8 feet or better at the driest time of the year. Coils of pipe are floated into the pond and filled with the loop solution. The coils then sink to the bottom and come to rest on top of concrete blocks that have been strapped to the coils of pipe.
	Directional bore loops are used when the site is heavily wooded or when there is extensive landscaping in place. A boring machine is used to bore a hole on an angle beneath the yard to a depth of approximately 10 feet and a length of 250 feet. The tip of the boring head is then angled toward the surface and pushed up out of the ground. Pipes are then attached to the boring head and pulled back through the hole to the starting point of the drilling process. One bore is typically required per ton of geothermal equipment. This method is very effective in reducing the amount of restoration work for existing homes.
	Open loop systems use water from your existing domestic water well. Water is drawn from your well, run through your furnace, and then dumped into a suitable discharge site. These sites may include ponds, streams, wetlands, or any other method that will not negatively impact adjoining properties. Great care must be taken in well pump and pressure tank sizing if an open loop is considered. Water quality should also be tested prior to deciding to use an open loop application. Poor water quality can lead to more frequent maintenance and shortened equipment life.