What Are the Benefits of Geothermal HVAC Systems?

Are you looking for an energy-efficient HVAC system that both heats and cools, and does so using no fossil fuels? If you are, we think a geothermal HVAC system will be right up your alley. However, many homeowners in the Champaign, IL area aren’t aware of how these heating and cooling systems work, nor their many added benefits. Edelman Inc. gives you an overview of geothermal HVAC technology and shares the valuable benefits of installing such a system in your home.

How Geothermal HVAC Systems Work

Geothermal HVAC systems are dual heating and cooling systems that utilize the Earth’s natural thermal energy for space heating and cooling. These systems are made up of three key components:

• The ground loop, also called an earth loop, which is a system of fluid-filled pipe buried below ground near the home.
• The geothermal heat pump unit, which is typically installed within the home.
• The distribution system that transports air through the home, which is a duct system in many applications.

Like an air-source heat pump, geothermal heat pumps also transfer heat instead of generating it as a furnace or boiler does. Instead of moving heat from one source of air to another, a geothermal system moves heat between the indoor air inside your home and the ground. Below ground, temperatures stay consistent throughout the year and offer ample heat energy for use in space heating. The ground also serves as an ideal receptacle to deposit unwanted heat.

So, how do geothermal HVAC systems actually work? The heating process goes like this:

1. Fluid circulating through the ground loop absorbs the thermal heat energy held within the soil.
2. The pump within the geothermal heat pump circulates this fluid back up to the home and to the heat pump.
3. The geothermal heat pump’s indoor coil releases heat from the fluid into air circulating through the unit. 
4. The blower components of the geothermal heat pump push newly warmed air through the duct system and into the home’s living areas.

The cooling process used by geothermal HVAC systems is simply the opposite. Heat is absorbed by the indoor coil from indoor air to lower its temperature. The heated fluid is pumped through the ground loop and releases this energy into the soil.

Benefits of Geothermal Heating and Cooling

The benefits of geothermal HVAC systems are truly unmatched by any other type of heating and cooling equipment. Homeowners who use these innovative systems enjoy benefits such as:

• Low operating costs. Geothermal HVAC systems require minimal electricity to run and are able to exchange multiple units of thermal energy for every unit of electricity they use. This results in an energy efficiency rating of around 400 percent, which can lower heating and cooling bills up to 70 percent versus using conventional HVAC equipment.
• Long system life. Components of geothermal HVAC systems last longer than conventional heating and cooling equipment. A geothermal heat pump averages 20 to 25 years of service, while standard air conditioners and heat pumps average 10 to 15 years, and 15 to 20 years for furnaces. Protected below ground, the ground loop can last 50 years or more before replacement is necessary.
• Quiet performance. With less equipment and fewer moving parts, geothermal HVAC systems don’t produce as much operating noise as conventional heating and cooling units do. Quieter operation means less disruption which many homeowners prefer.

Installation for Geothermal HVAC Systems in Champaign, IL

Geothermal HVAC systems are an outstanding alternative to the conventional furnace and air conditioning systems found in many area homes. These extremely efficient heating and cooling units offer reliable comfort all the time, and at an extremely low cost – what other type of HVAC system can say the same?