Proper installation is essential in order to achieve the promised comfort and energy efficiency benefits of modern whole-house heating and cooling systems. This basic rule applies doubly when it comes to installing and sizing a geothermal heat pump. That’s why it’s essential to work with a contractor who has experience in geothermal technology. Otherwise, you may pay the price of a poor installation for many years into the future.
How Geothermal HVAC Technology Works
A geothermal heat pump system is split between an outdoor loop system (usually a network of plastic pipes buried underground in either a horizontal or vertical configuration) and an indoor heat pump component. When in heating mode, an antifreeze solution flowing through the loop system extracts heat energy from the moderately warm earth and brings it inside. In cooling mode, the antifreeze solution expels heat that’s been removed from the house back into the ground. Heat is transferred between the antifreeze and refrigerant in the indoor heat pump component. These systems save energy because the heat exchange medium is the moderate-temperate earth rather than very hot or very cold outside air.
Sizing a Geothermal Heat Pump
Proper sizing is imperative with a geothermal system. The first step in sizing both the indoor heat pump and the outdoor loop system is a methodically performed cooling and heating load calculation. This accounts for various factors, including your home’s size and layout, its airtightness and insulation, the number and type of windows and many other things. This process will allow your installer to recommend the proper size system for your home.
Either undersizing or oversizing a geothermal heat pump will present problems. A system that’s too small will struggle during hot and cold weather to deliver consistent comfort. An oversized system will cycle on and off frequently, quickly cooling or heating the home to the thermostat setting. This wastes energy, stresses parts, provides uneven air conditioning and results in inadequate humidity control in the summer.
If you’d like to discuss installing and sizing a geothermal heat pump for your Dayton-Springfield area home, please contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services, Inc.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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