If you are considering a new HVAC system for your Dayton area home, you may want to consider a geothermal heating and cooling solution that requires less energy than other systems to keep your home comfortable year-round. There are several things to consider before making a decision:
How it works: Geothermal heating and cooling systems usually use a water/antifreeze solution to exchange heat with the earth through a loop system of underground pipes. In the winter, the liquid is pumped underground to absorb heat and returned to the home to release it inside. In the summer, the liquid absorbs heat from inside the home and deposits it into the ground before returning. This works more efficiently than a conventional air-source heat pump since the ground remains relatively cool in the summer, so it takes less energy to reject heat energy into it. In the winter, the ground, while cool, is usually much warmer than the outside air, so it’s easier to extract heat energy from the ground than the air.
Advantages: When compared to other systems, geothermal solutions use renewable energy and can reduce your utility costs by up to 60 percent. The systems can be used in both new and existing houses. Once installed, the interior components last as long as 25 years and the exterior portions 50 years.
Disadvantages: Installation will require a professional trained in geothermal, which may be harder to find than the standard HVAC contractor. For the most common horizontal loop-field installation, a large amount of space is required, and the excavation may disturb the landscaping.
System cost: The overall cost of the system will depend on the type you install and the kind of soil you have on your property. The upfront cost will be higher than a traditional system, but much of that will be earned back through energy savings within four to 15 years. The federal government also is offering very generous tax credits for qualified geothermal systems and installations (30 percent of the total cost).
System types: The vertical loop can be higher-priced, but requires the least amount of surface area. It uses vertical exchange loops in holes drilled few hundred feet deep. The horizontal loop uses a loop system buried about six feet deep and requires large surface area for installation. A third system, the pond/lake system, uses pipes in a body of water at least 10 feet deep.
If you would like to discuss installing a geothermal heating and cooling system, please contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services, Inc. for information or installation quotes. We serve Dayton, Springfield and the surrounding area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about geothermal heating and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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