In order to reach the highest energy efficiency a geothermal cooling and heating system offers, don't take shortcuts when it comes to sizing your geothermal heat pump. Going through the sizing process carefully with an HVAC contractor who specializes in geothermal systems ensures that the system you choose will be able to handle the conditioning load in your home and deliver the longevity the system promises.
Geothermal heat pumps have two components that need to be sized correctly. The first is the underground loop field that transfers the heat in summer and winter to provide the conditioned air. The second is the indoor heat pump that contains the evaporator coil that removes or adds heat to the air and the blower fan to circulate the air.
What's Involved
HVAC contractors run load calculations for homes using Manual J software. Factors that affect the conditioning load include:
- The cubic footage you plan to condition.
- The interior layout of your home.
- Its overall energy efficiency, including windows, insulation and air infiltration.
- Your personal temperature preferences.
- Household size and composition.
- The geology and hydrology of your yard .
- Landscaping factors.
The contractor will quantify each of these elements and enter the data into the software. The results will provide a basis for accurately sizing your geothermal heat pump.
Benefits of Careful Sizing
This process is crucial because an undersized loop field won't be large enough to adequately transfer or remove the heat, leaving you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. If either the loop field or the heat pump is too large, the system will short-cycle.
The term short-cycle refers to oversized systems that don't run long enough during each cycle to thoroughly condition all the spaces in your home or remove excessive humidity in the summer. The short running time also drives up energy costs because the electrical parts use the most energy when they first start up and experience their greatest stress.
The experts at Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning can help with sizing your geothermal heat pump. We've provided HVAC services for Fort Wayne homeowners since 1963.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in New Haven, Indiana and surrounding Fort Wayne area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about geothermal heat pump and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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