The four components of geothermal heating and cooling systems include the outdoor loop field, the indoor heat pump unit, the thermostat, and the ductwork that delivers the conditioned air. A geothermal heat pump has no parts exposed to the outdoor air, unlike air-source heat pumps, whose condensing unit sits outdoors. Much of the indoor unit in a geothermal system contains the parts that would otherwise be exposed to the weather year-round.
Because the condenser sits inside the indoor equipment, it doesn't have the big temperature swings to deal with, and it's never exposed to sunshine, rain or snow. This engineering design helps the equipment last far longer than a typical heat pump, furnace or central air conditioning system. In fact, the life expectancy of a geothermal heat pump runs from 20 to 25 years, compared to 10 to 15 for air source systems.
After the underground loop field is complete, the HVAC contractor places the heat pump inside your home, normally in the basement, and connects the loops, as well as completing the electrical and ductwork connections, and setting the thermostat. Once the system is checked for proper operation, the installation team turns the system on and it should run quietly, keeping you comfortable year-round.
Unlike other kinds of forced-air HVAC systems, the geothermal heating and cooling system runs longer and more frequently. But they're so quiet that you may not even know when they're running or not. There's no backyard noise associated with the outdoor condenser, and the fan inside the air handler runs exceptionally quietly. Although they run more often than a forced-air system, their energy use is less than that of an air-source system. This is because they require less energy to accomplish the heat exchange when the source of the heat (and repository for it) is underground, with less extreme temperatures than the outside air. Maintenance is also lower, since these systems have no outdoor exposure.
To learn more about geothermal heating and cooling and all the benefits they offer, contact Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning. We've provided top-notch HVAC services for Fort Wayne area 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 heating and cooling and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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