Geothermal HVAC systems can heat and cool homes with spectacular efficiency and effectiveness. Since they’re not as common as other types of HVAC systems, many people don’t understand how they work. If you’re in the market for a new heating and cooling system for your Chesapeake, VA home, see how geothermal HVAC can work for you.
The Key to Geothermal HVAC
Geothermal HVAC systems rely on the consistency of ground temperature to provide heating and cooling all year long. No matter where you’re at in the world, the ground temperature is around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. This consistency makes geothermal systems a great option for homeowners regardless of their location.
Ground Loop Systems
Geothermal HVAC systems take advantage of the temperatures underground by using a network of pipes called a ground loop system. These loops can take various forms depending on how much land you can devote to the purpose and whether you have a pond, lake or well nearby. In all cases, these pipes circulate a solution of water and coolant that works as a heat transfer fluid.
As the fluid circulates, it encounters air and communicates its temperature to it. That air then moves into an indoor heat pump connected to the ground loop system, which treats the air and releases it into your home through ventilation ducts.
Heating and Cooling Modes
In heating mode, the system takes cold air from outside, moves it into the ground loop pipes and warms it in the pipes and the heat pump before pushing it into your home. In cooling mode, hot air from outside cools when it moves into the ground loop pipes and cools even more after the heat pump brings it into contact with refrigerant.
Because the temperature underground is neither hot nor cold, the device can accomplish this with minimal heat transfer, using much less energy than traditional HVAC systems do. This improved efficiency plays a large role in the popularity of geothermal systems.
Geothermal systems allow you to experience maximum efficiency without forfeiting comfort. If you want such a system or already have one that requires service, call Weather Makers, Inc. to schedule our geothermal HVAC services.
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