From installation to repair, Bell Brothers has a team of professionals with leading expertise in geothermal heating and cooling systems. If you’re interested in geothermal heating and cooling in Des Moines and surrounding areas, Bell Brothers can help you decide if geothermal heating is right for you.
What Is a Geothermal System?
Geothermal systems keep homes warm during the winter and cool during the summer by using the ground’s natural temperature. Since a geothermal system uses the Earth’s temperatures, it relies on a renewable source of energy and is often one of the most energy-efficient options available. Geothermal heating and cooling systems consist of an air handler, a heat exchanger, and a geothermal loop.
How Does a Geothermal System Work?
Geothermal heating and cooling system operations start with the heat pump. The heat pump circulates liquid through pipes deep into the ground, which is also known as a geothermal loop. The geothermal loop absorbs the temperatures that were distributed into the ground from the sun. The liquid is then circulated back to the system’s heat pump where it’ll heat or cool your home.
So how does a geothermal system work seasonally? During the winter, heat from the liquid is extracted and distributed. During the summer, heat is removed from the home, absorbed into the liquid, and moved into the ground so it can cool.
Benefits of Geothermal Energy
Since a geothermal heating and cooling system gets its energy from the Earth, it doesn’t have to work as hard to heat or cool your home—saving you money as a result. Cost-savings also go hand-in-hand with the system’s enhanced energy efficiency not seen in other home comfort options.
Its energy is also renewable. With this in mind, using geothermal heating and cooling systems for your home cuts down on the amount of fuel your home would normally consume. This is great for the environment and reduces your home’s carbon footprint.
Other benefits of a geothermal heating and cooling system include:
- Precise temperature and humidity control
- Cools 20% – 40% more efficiently than other cooling systems
- Heats 50% – 70% more efficiently than other heating systems
- Energy reductions help the system pay for itself in five to seven years
- No CO2 emissions
- Helps reduce peak season electrical demands
- Safe and clean, with no flames, fumes, or flues
- Quiet operation; no outdoor condensing unit required
- Lowest life-cycle cost of all heating systems
- Often qualifies for state and federal energy tax credits plus utility rebates. Currently a 30% federal tax credit
Types of Geothermal Systems
There are a multitude of different geothermal systems available for homeowners and businesses. Let’s take a look at each variety and examine their differences.
Closed-Loop
The closed-loop system circulates water or a blended water-glycol solution through a closed loop of high-density plastic tubing. The closed-loop system is buried in the ground or submerged in water. The system’s heat exchanger then transfers heat between the refrigerant in the heat pump component and the antifreeze solution contained within the closed loop. Another type of closed-looped system is known as direct exchange. Direct exchange doesn’t use a heat exchanger and the refrigerant is pumped through copper tubing instead.
Horizontal
A horizontal-style system is a cost-effective solution for residential applications. For installation, it’s required that trenches are at least four feet deep and come in a slew of different layouts. The most common is two pipes, one buried at six feet with the other at four feet. The other common layout option is when two pipes are placed side-by-side at five feet in the ground in a two-foot wide trench. There’s also “The Slinky™” method where more piping is placed in a shorter trench, allowing for this style of system to take place in less common public areas.
Vertical
Vertical systems are often used more for commercial applications where the horizontal variety is prohibited. They can also be used where soil is too shallow for trenching, minimizing any disturbance to the property’s existing landscaping.
This system entails the drilling of four-inch diameter holes 20 feet apart and can range from 100 to 400 feet deep. The pipes are connected at the bottom in a U-shape to form a loop.
Pond/Lake
Instead of the traditional heat exchange with the ground, this system exchanges water from a pond or lake. With these systems, the body of water needs to meet several requirements in terms of volume, depth, and quality. If requirements are met, a supply line can be run from under the building and into the water where it’s coiled into circles. The loop submerged in the water circulates a fluid that uses the body of water as a heat source or sink.
For colder climates, this system style is placed at least eight feet under the surface to prevent the possibility of freezing. Open-loop systems for this variety also exist. They use water as the circulating fluid and inject it into the body of water.
Hybrid
Hybrid systems are typically used in cases of large heating needs and often use a combination of resources as a means of operation. Also available is the “standing column well” which is another open-loop system consisting of one or more drilled vertical wells. Water is drawn from the bottom and returned to the top.
How Much Does a Geothermal System Cost?
The cost of a geothermal heating and cooling system will vary depending on a few factors. These include:
- Type of loop system
- The area’s ground conditions
- System size and type
- Location
- Type of heat pump
Our team at Bell Brothers will walk you through all of these considerations so you can have an honest and in-depth estimate. Another great benefit behind geothermal heating and cooling systems is the long-term savings outweigh the initial cost.
Geothermal Repair & Maintenance
As experts with geothermal heating and cooling systems, Bell Brothers also offers repair and maintenance services. When it comes to repairs, our team will efficiently and accurately diagnose the issue at hand and respond with the necessary solution to get your system running again.
One of the most important factors of a well-functioning geothermal heating and cooling system is routine maintenance. With routine maintenance from Bell Brothers, you can rest assured your system is going to run at peak efficiency all year long. This service also allows for our team to catch issues early on so you don’t have to worry about costly repairs or replacement.
Geothermal Installation
Interested in geothermal installation for your home in Des Moines or its surrounding areas? Bell Brothers is the trusted local provider for all heating and cooling services, including geothermal. Contact us today and experience the benefits of geothermal installation.
