The Green Revolution: Geothermal HVAC Systems

06/12/2024

Geothermal energy is energy that comes from the Earth (hence the prefix “geo”), organized into “reservoirs” of warm water at various depths beneath the Earth’s surface. These pockets of earth energy can range from a few feet to several miles deep and can be brought to the surface for multiple uses, including heating and cooling your home. Geothermal heat pumps provide heating and cooling using the ground as a heat sink, absorbing excess heat when the above ground temperatures are hot, and redistributing heat into your home from the warm groundwater when above-ground temperatures are cooler. District heating and cooling systems use one or more types of geothermal systems, such as a series of geothermal heat pumps, in order to heat and cool groups of buildings, campuses, and even entire communities.

How It Works for Your Home

Geothermal heat pumps are installed as an energy-efficient system that uses the naturally stable ground temperature to both warm your home during the winter months and cool it in the summer. The geothermal heat pumps use the ground to redistribute and absorb excess heat from your home when the above-ground temperatures are hotter, and they also serve as a heat source when above-ground temperatures cool down. It is even possible to install district geothermal systems, which use a series of geothermal pumps to heat or cool groups of buildings that make up small communities.

When a geothermal HVAC system is installed, the heat pump circulates water through pipes reaching approximately 300 feet below ground. These pipe “loops” absorb the temperature that is being redistributed into the ground from the sun, and the water then circulates back to the heat pump which is either heating or cooling your home depending on the time of year. During the cold months, heat from the circulating liquid is extracted and redistributed around your home by the geothermal heat pump. During the summer, heat is absorbed from the home by the liquid, and the heated liquid is then carried back into the ground to cool off.

Types of Geothermal HVAC Systems

You can choose to install two types of geothermal HVAC systems: open-loop systems or closed-loop systems, depending on your property’s unique features and your home’s needs.

Closed-loop systems utilize flowing water through your geothermal HVAC system’s pipes to transfer heat from the ground into the structure. They can be installed horizontally, vertically, or even submerged in a body of water.

Open-loop systems carry groundwater from deep below the Earth up through the pipes to move heat. These geothermal ground loop systems can also be installed in a body of water.

Benefits of Having a Geothermal HVAC System

Geothermal HVAC systems do not require fossil fuels or much electricity at all. These systems are recognized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a clean and renewable energy source, and the goal is that such advantageous technologies will be widely utilized in years to come.

Geothermal energy is:

Renewable, able to be used for more than just our lifetime.
Sustainable–consistently available.
Reliable–we know it will always be available, for as long as our Earth is around, it will be too.
New and always improving. Innovative industry leaders are constantly researching and developing more advanced technologies, which means this technology will continue to grow and improve with time.

Geothermal HVAC systems can also save you significantly in the long run. Because they do not require any electricity or fuel source, you can cut that monthly bill in half!

Trust the Team at Chancey & Reynolds

At Chancey & Reynolds, we offer top of the line geothermal technology that can be installed alongside top-notch air filtration, smart thermostats, and more. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our geothermal HVAC system services, and let us turn your family green, too!

Knoxville Office • (865) 525-5076

Lenoir City Office • (865) 986-388