First what is Geothermal? Residential and commercial can use a method of cooling and heating their homes and offices – even heating hot water by using the temperature of the earth.

With a little land around a property or even a swimming pool may make it possible to use the geothermal advantage when it comes to reducing energy costs.  Swimming pools can also be heated when in the air conditioning mode, dumping the wasted heat into the pool.  Businesses that heat a lot of water for cooking, washing clothes or even a spa have found that the water heating for geothermal advantageous.

Some industries that use this to reduce their energy consumption are:

• Apartment Complexes
• Restaurants
• Nursing Homes
• Hotels
• Spa Facilities
• Laundry Facilities
• Correctional Facilities
• Government Buildings
• Rural Locations that use Electric or Propane

This is a renewable energy source that can replace fossil fuels in these applications.  That is why the Federal government is offering a 30% tax credit and businesses that install geothermal may accelerate the depreciation on the installation cost. The tax credit and depreciation are tax specific benefits that should be discussed with a tax professional to see how to qualify.

From the Earthlinked Website.

An energy efficient geothermal (sometimes referred to as Direct Exchange or DX) heat pump system is not only something that makes you feel comfortable, it is a technology that you can feel comfortable about. Because it is lowest in greenhouse emissions, geothermal is the most environmentally responsible heating and cooling alternative available today, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Geothermal systems are highly energy-efficient since they only require a relatively small amount of electricity to harness the renewable energy in the earth. These units typically deliver much more energy than they consume, so you save on your monthly energy bills when compared to other types of heating and cooling systems.

By focusing attention on advanced product design, solid construction and installation flexibility, geothermal heat pumps are capable of fully utilizing the natural heat storage ability of the earth as a primary source for heating and cooling your home.

No matter where you live, the underground temperature remains relatively constant all year, even though outdoor temperatures may vary widely. Geothermal systems utilize this stable resource as a renewable energy source for your home.

Every geothermal system has three major subsystems or parts:

• An earth loop for transferring heat in the earth
• A heat pump compressor unit to concentrate and move the heat
• An indoor heat distribution system.

(A water-based geothermal heat pump also has a water pump to move water through its water loop in the ground and a water-to-refrigerant heat exchanger.)

In the Winter heating mode, heat is extracted from the earth by using that heat to evaporate the refrigerant (any temperature above -40°F is sufficient) which then passes through the compressor where its pressure and temperature are increased. The hot refrigerant then gives up its heat by heating cool air that passes through the fan coil in the air handler (or by heating the water that is flowing through a radiant hydronic system). Having given up its heat, the refrigerant condenses into a liquid and returns to the earth loop to take on more heat.

In the Summer cooling mode, the process is reversed. The liquid refrigerant passing through the fan coil in the air handler (like the coils in an air conditioner) is evaporated and passes through the compressor where its heat is concentrated and increased. The hot refrigerant vapor then gives up its heat as it circulates in the earth loop, condenses into a liquid, then returns to the building to take on more heat.

(A water-based geothermal heat pump relies upon a water loop to extract heat from the earth and transport it to a heat exchanger adjacent to the heat pump, where the heat is transferred into the heat pump system, and the cycle is reversed in the summer.)

If you need help with temperature, contact Cold Craft, Inc.

408.374.7292 or [email protected]