When it comes to choosing a new cooling or heating system for your home, there are a number of factors to consider. Is this an older home with ductwork already in place? How big is the home? How efficient is your current HVAC system? Depending on your answers to this question, we can help you make an educated decision on what HVAC system to choose. In many cases, we recommend the Navarre, FL geothermal HVAC system.
The use of geothermal energy has become increasingly popular. If you’re thinking about replacing your old HVAC system with this, it can be a very cost-effective choice. But… you do need to consider things like if geothermal is going to be the best option for your specific home. Keep reading to learn more about these systems.
The Basics of Geothermal Heat Pumps
A geothermal system, also known as a geothermal heat pump, is set up much like a standard, central, forced-air cooling system in that it circulates refrigerant to remove heat from one location and deposit it in another. The difference with a geothermal system is, first, that it’s a ground-source heat pump, and uses the heat underground as the medium for heat exchange.
Though we don’t need it much in our part of the country, when in heating mode, the geothermal heat pump extracts heat through the underground loops and moves it to the indoor refrigerant, where it exhausts the heat to the inside of your home. In cooling mode, the loops deposit heat removed from your home, using the ground as a heat sink.
How Is This Beneficial?
So, what exactly are the advantages of this?
- Highly energy efficient: No matter what the temperature is outside, the ground 6-10 feet down, where the geothermal loops are placed, remains stable. Granted, we never experience freezing temperatures, but whether it’s one of our coldest or one of our hottest days, the temperature available to ground loops remains the same, allowing for more efficient heating and cooling over using the outside air as a temperature source.
- System longevity: The internal components of a geothermal heat pump can last as long as a standard heat pump. However, the ground loops can last for over 50 years—and that’s the most expensive part of the system. You can expect a geothermal system to provide you with many years of heating and cooling comfort.
- Eco-friendly: Geothermal systems lower the carbon footprint of the homes their installed in and reduces the amount of emissions being released to the outside air.
Will Geothermal Cooling and Heating Work for Your Home?
The best way to do this is to contact a professional to discuss your options. We’ll want to look over your home and property to determine what type of system will be best. We can tell you that geothermal systems are flexible and easier to install than in years past. Be sure to trust only a HVAC contractor with significant experience with these types of systems for more information.