Geothermal radiant heat installation

There are approximately 50, geothermal heat pumps installed in the United States each year. Watch how geothermal heat pumps heat and cool buildings by concentrating the naturally existing heat contained within the earth -- a clean, reliable, and renewable source of energy.

There are four basic types of ground loop systems. The fourth type of system is the open-loop option. Several factors such as climate, soil conditions, available land, and local installation costs determine which is best for the site. All of these approaches can be used for residential and commercial building applications. Most closed-loop geothermal heat pumps circulate an antifreeze solution through a closed loop -- usually made of a high density plastic-type tubing -- that is buried in the ground or submerged in water.

A heat exchanger transfers heat between the refrigerant in the heat pump and the antifreeze solution in the closed loop. One type of closed-loop system, called direct exchange, does not use a heat exchanger and instead pumps the refrigerant through copper tubing that is buried in the ground in a horizontal or vertical configuration.

Direct exchange systems require a larger compressor and work best in moist soils sometimes requiring additional irrigation to keep the soil moist , but you should avoid installing in soils corrosive to the copper tubing.

Because these systems circulate refrigerant through the ground, local environmental regulations may prohibit their use in some locations. This type of installation is generally most cost-effective for residential installations, particularly for new construction where sufficient land is available.

It requires trenches at least four feet deep. The most common layouts either use two pipes, one buried at six feet, and the other at four feet, or two pipes placed side-by-side at five feet in the ground in a two-foot wide trench. Large commercial buildings and schools often use vertical systems because the land area required for horizontal loops would be prohibitive. Vertical loops are also used where the soil is too shallow for trenching, and they minimize the disturbance to existing landscaping.

This amounts to greater comfort at a lower thermostat setting, which provides lower energy bills. In fact, more people are comfortable with radiant floor heating at a lower thermostat setting than with forced-air heating at a higher thermostat setting.

You could receive:. Radiant Floor Heating Systems. Contact ECS Geothermal. The COP of a heat pump generally varies from When this storage tank reaches this set point the heat pump will shut down. In some instances, a heat pump will be unable to achieve these higher water temperatures and an additional electric boiler or heating element will be required to supplement the heating demands. If pursuing geothermal as a heat source, make sure the heat output will be adequate to heat your home.