Geothermal 101

All energy comes from the sun. The sun has provided a lot of BTUs for a lot of years and the earth has absorbed and stored that energy. A closed-loop geothermal system simply removes those BTUs from the ground in the winter and gives them back in the summer.

At depths of five feet or more, the earth temperature remains close to 57 degrees, as evidenced by a cave's temperature. This temperature varies only slightly across the US.

There are 2 ways to install a geothermal unit. If digging a trench is difficult or if space is limited, geothermal contractors drill holes into the ground vertically to install small-diameter polyethylene pipe. If digging a horizontal trench is feasible, the pipe is installed in a horizontal trench.

A very small pump then circulates water from the earth to the geothermal unit and back to the ground in the closed-loop pipe. As it circulates 57-degree water in the winter, the geothermal unit, using the compressor to remove heat from the water, provides 105-degree air into the house. As the water goes back to the ground loop, it immediately starts absorbing BTUs from the earth.

In the summer, a reversing valve simply reverses the process and the compressor pumps BTUs into the ground loop.

Geothermal gives good hot air in the winter and really cold air in the summer and uses less energy than any other central heating and cooling system. So don't be a tightwad. Buy the best there is - you, your family, and your house deserve it.

For more info on geothermal units and if they would work for you please contact Sandium Heating and Air Conditioning. 

Facts to Know About Heat Pumps

You do not have to be a HVAC professional to understand how heat pumps function. If you have one then you should know how it works. 

Heat pumps work like regular systems during the AC season. Keep that in mind when you have one installed in your home.

With a heat pump you should not turn your AC system off. Only using the cooling system on a part-time basis can cost you money in energy bills and repair costs to the system. If you turn it off when you are out of the house, your home will soak up the heat that is there and this will make cooling in the late afternoon/evening much harder to accomplish. You will save $ when you let the thermostat  decide when cooling is required for your home.

The heat pumps in your home will provide warm air during the time of the year when you need heat. The pump will run for long durations of time. They are designed to operate in this manner.

When it is the coldest outside, frost will build up in the outdoor coil of the heat pump. This will begin a cycle of defrosting. When the cycle is taking place, the outdoor fan will stop running and the compressor will make a humming sound.

You will notice that cool air is coming from the registers. You may also hear a whooshing sound and will see water runoff or steam coming from the unit. These functions are all normal and are related to the cycle of defrosting.

During this defrosting cycle, allow it to do its thing. Do not make any changes to the thermostat. The cycle will take anywhere from a couple of minutes to 10.  The time depends on the amount of ice build up on the coil. Once the cycle is finished, the unit will return to the heating function.

If you believe that the heat pump is not working properly, you should call in a professional to evaluate the system. Do not attempt to repair it on your own- you could do more harm than good.

Do not constantly adjust your thermostat. It is best to find a comfortable temperature and then leave it at that setting. There will be more wear and tear on the system if you fiddle with the temp all time. As well, it can be anything but budget savvy to do this.

Heating Alternatives to Reduce Winter Heating Costs

With the winter season upon us, most people are researching ways to help lower their heating bills. There are many ways to do this, and they can be as simple as a few quick do-it-yourself home improvements or a call to your local HVAC company.

The three most effective and simple steps can be completed in as little as a few hours. 

1. Lower the temperature on your thermostat. 3 to 5 degrees may not feel like much but can make quite a difference in terms of saving money over a period of time, and if you start to get a little chilly add an extra layer of clothing before turning up the thermostat. 

2. Space heaters are fairly inexpensive and can be very energy efficient if you do some research. Heating the 1 or 2 rooms you use the most instead of your whole house can save money on heating bills, and is often recommended by government departments. 

3.  Winterizing your home by adding window seals where needed or using caulk to stop leaks is a simple and effective way to ensure your heating system is not working in vain. If you don't already have them you may want to consider  double-paned windows, although you may need to call a professional to have him install them for warranty purposes.

While the above tips will increase efficiency and lower bills, sometimes it is necessary to discuss some steps that include a larger investment. They are long- term solutions that  will pay off by lowering your heating bills. Here are four heating alternatives to look into.

Natural Gas Conversion: While a natural gas heating solution is a financial investment to install it does have other advantages, such as its ability to be used to run appliances, fuel a fireplace and heat water. However since natural gas is provided by local utility companies it may not be available in all areas so be sure to call your local supplier.

Ground (Geothermal) Heat Pump Systems: Geothermal Heat Pumps have become quite popular as an alternative way to heat residences and businesses alike. They work by relying on the relatively constant temperature of the earth 3-5 feet below the surface. While the upfront costs can be daunting, it is possible to recoup your investment in as little as five years, and to reduce your energy consumption by 44-72% according to the EPA.

Solar Heating Systems: Solar power is economical, renewable, and environmentally friendly, making it appealing to many consumers. While the initial costs can seem to be staggering the long term benefits are worth the work, as the Department of Energy estimates that a properly designed and installed solar system can provide 40-80% of a home's heating needs.

Wood or Pellet Burning Stoves: Wood burning stoves have become more efficient and operate much safer than they did five to ten years ago, and with the increase cost of gas and oil have also been able to provide an economical solution for many homeowners.  The Environmental Protection Agency states that they are one of the "cleanest-burning heating appliances available today" and exempts them from smoke-emission testing requirements.

A General Look At Geothermal Energy And The Pros And Cons Of It

By Octavio Riedman

There is quite a lot of argument going on about geothermal energy but it definitely is probably the most affordable green energy solutions that is available. Geothermal energy is effective throughout every season and it can save lots on your energy costs. It's less expensive than solar panel technology plus its completely clean and sustainable.

The best benefit of geothermal energy is that it works extremely well in all varying weather conditions. It doesn't matter if it's ice cold or very hot outside the geothermal heat pump technique continually works (as opposed to solar power systems for instance for which you require the sun to shine for the solar cells to create something). Geothermal systems need nominal servicing and they're designed to work for decades. They can be scaled according to the demands. It's a wonderful solution for either non commercial or business use.

But what is geothermal energy anyway?

The word "geothermal" is of Ancient Greek origin, that means "heat from the planet". We primarily distinguish two kinds of geothermal energy. The first is geothermal heat that's made out of the magma of the earth, thanks to nuclear reactions. Down the middle of the planet earth conditions are so warm (~7200 °F or ~4000 °C) that stone turns into fluid which then gradually moves towards the surface of the earth. Typically, the temperature rises about 120 °F (~50 °C) with just about every mile (~1.6 km) towards the core of the planet. The other kind of geothermal heat essentially comes from the sun. Sunshine heats up the initial few meters of the surface area of our Planet and this may also be utilized.

So what is in it for me?

Geothermal energy is normally intended for heating or cooling. It can produce heating during winter and cooling is possible by using it throughout summertime. Additionally, it can help satisfy warm water requirements of a household. For sure one can find positives and negatives of geothermal energy, but the benefits typically outweigh the drawbacks.

Pros

Renewable

This is probably the most important advantage of geothermal energy. As opposed to common energy sources such as fossil fuels and coal, geothermal energy is part of the green energy solutions like wind power, solar, wave, and so on... Heat from the planet is just about unlimited. Consequently once a geothermal heat pump system is established, it is going to produce energy for many years, without the need to restore the source of the energy, since it is naturally replenished.

Alternative

Sustainability is definitely the other substantial benefit of geothermal energy. It does not make air pollution of any kind so it does not create long-term harm to our ecosystem. We can have the benefit of this "renewable" energy without having to undermine the capability of our children and grandchildren to fulfill their electricity requirements.

Could help you save a lot of money

Needless to say this can be one of the many pros if we look at it from a financial point of view. Over the long term it can help you save lots of money on our electricity costs. It is calculated that in more or less 5-8 years the original investment pays off so one can really enjoy "costless" energy afterwards (take note that this is with current techniques and prices, this will absolutely go down later on as a growing number of people will start choosing geothermal energy)

Free from harm

Using a geothermal heat pump is absolutely safe (in case set up properly by a skilled technician). There is no need to consider carbon-monoxide poisoning, it will not catch on fire, it cannot explode and it doesn't radiate. No routine servicing or yearly checks are obligatory.

Continual rate of energy

One of the main issues with replenishable energy technologies is usually that they are sort of unpredictable. The wind can easily stop blowing for a little bit, the sun's rays doesn't consistently shine, etcetera... Luckily this is not happening with geothermal energy. One could consistently rely on geothermal heat, because it's virtually continuous (around. 60 °F or 16 °C at the depth of 6 feet or 1.8 meters). The lower the pipes are in the earth the hotter it gets hence providing more geothermal energy.

Unlimited capability and quantity

It is usually totally obvious but geothermal energy has unlimited capability. It will never (at least not in the next couple of million years) run out and it is constantly obtainable.

Could be put into use for a wide variety of purposes

Geothermal places are located on all continents and can be utilised from business to household energy generation.

Disadvantages

Initial costs tend to be high

Presently this is more than likely the primary downside. It is more expensive to build a geothermal heat pump system than a traditional system.

Large area required

A reasonably good sized site is necessary to set up a geothermal heating system. Whenever a spacious yard or property is present this will not be such a big problem, but a geothermal heat pump system won't be possible in the back garden of a city house, at least not with horizontal piping. Vertical piping could also be used, but it is significantly more complicated and a lot more expensive to drill vertically rather than horizontally.

Electrical energy is still necessary

A heat pump needs to have electrical power to work. This is really a disadvantage of a heat pump and not geothermal energy itself, but it will have to be considered when deciding if a geothermal heat pump system is the solution.

If you are interested in learning more about geothermal energy please visit Sandium.Com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Octavio_Riedman

Geothermal Energy - Heating From the Earth's Core

By Peter Emson

Geothermal Energy is another type of renewable energy resource that makes use of the large amounts of energy stored as heat in the water deep below the Earth's surface with the most prominent and visual example of this coming from "Geysers" and "Hot Springs" ejecting large columns of very hot water, steam and gases high up into the air. In fact the word "Geothermal" comes from combining together the two Greek words of Geo, meaning "Earth", and Therme, meaning "heat", with the resulting word "Geothermal" actually meaning "heat generated from the Earth", then the expression "Geothermal Energy" literally means "heat energy generated from the Earth".

Geothermal energy is obtained from the hot areas under the surface of the earth that remain at a relatively constant temperature all year around day and night. Once available, geothermal energy can be used either directly or indirectly as an alternative energy resource to both heat and cool our homes. This naturally occurring and free energy is extracted by a series of pipes filled with water buried below the Earths surface. This hot water is then used in our homes for heating, called Geothermal Heating, or to generate electricity, called Geothermal Power.

So how does it work. At the Earth's core, some 4000 miles below the surface, temperatures can reach over 9000 degrees Fahrenheit. This incredible amount of heat originated four billion years ago in a fiery combustion of dust and gas as the Earth was being created. Many scientists believe that radioactive decay of the inner core keeps the heat generating and flowing outward from this inner core to the mantle of harder rock which surrounds the core. When the temperature and pressure is high enough, some of this mantle rock melts. Then, because the melted rock or magma is less dense than the surrounding rock, it rises and moves slowly up to the Earth's crust.

Sometimes the hot magma reaches all the way to the Earth's surface as a volcanic eruption, but usually the magma remains underground and heats the adjoining rock as well as any water that has seeped down through geologic holes, cracks and faults in the Earth's crust absorbing the heat as it travels through these hot rocks. Some of this water, whose temperatures can reach as high as 700 degrees, travels back up through cracks to the Earth's surface and emerges as hot springs, geysers or pools of boiling mud. Far more often, however, the water and magma becomes trapped within the rock, forming a natural underground geothermal reservoir. It is these underground geothermal reservoirs that are able to give us another type of alternative energy resource with incredible potential.

Let us understand that geothermal is NOT mining, as mining removes the mined material forever, it is extraction of the heat from a hydrothermal fluid which is replenished, sometimes over very long periods by the Earth itself. This geothermal energy resources can be used either for direct consumption, heating or for power generation in one of the following three main ways:

Types of Geothermal Energy

1. Direct Geothermal Energy - this is where the hot water is available either on or very close to the Earth's surface and can be used directly for heating, bathing or washing.
2. Ground Source Geothermal - this is where the geothermal hot water is below the ground but not too deep allowing easy access of the geothermal resource using heat absorbing pipes or bore holes.
3. Geothermal Power Plants - these harnesses the extremely hot water or steam using vertical bore holes drilled deep underground and then uses the available super heated geothermal water and steam to generate electricity.

For domestic applications, one way of extracting this heat energy is by the use of a Geothermal Heat Pump. The geothermal heat pump doesn't create electricity, instead it circulates a thermally conductive liquid mixed with water through long pipes called an Earth loop buried up to 12 feet underground, operating on the same principle as the domestic refrigerator but in reverse.

A Geothermal Heat Pump, also known as a "Ground Source Heat Pump", is a very efficient way to heat and air-condition our homes and buildings as it can move heat in two ways: during the colder winter months, low temperature heat is withdrawn from the ground (the heat source) for direct use in heating buildings and other structures. In the hotter summer months, the geothermal heat pump operates in reverse removing the heat from the building and dissipating it back into the ground.

As a result of this simple process, direct use geothermal heating is becoming very popular for the home owner because it provides a cost-effective alternative to expensive oil or gas home heating systems. Energy savings using a ground source heat pump can be substantial over a long period of time.

Geothermal power on the other hand uses extremely hot water heated by the underground magmatic activity which is pumped to the surface and used for electricity generation. Once this super heated water reaches atmospheric pressure it turns to steam where it is used to operate steam-powered turbines and generators. Geothermal power plants are becoming more common in volcanic areas and countries such as Iceland, were it produces over a quarter of their energy needs.

The main advantages of Geothermal Power is that it is clean, cheap, no additional fuel is needed resulting in no greenhouse gases or air pollution. However, some disadvantages include ground water and waste water pollution, geographically restricted and high maintenance costs. But the biggest disadvantage is that the closer you put a Geothermal power plant to an active volcano or heat source, the larger the potential operational problems you can have.

To learn is a geothermal heat system is right for you please visit Sandium.Com

To learn more about "Geothermal Energy" and how you can use it to heat your home, or to explore the advantages and disadvantages of using Geothermal Energy as an alternative energy resource, visit http://www.alternative-energy-tutorials.com today and find lots more good quality and free Alternative Energy Tutorials as well as information and articles about the many different types of alternative energy sources available for the home.

(c) Copyright - Alternative Energy Tutorials. All Rights Reserved.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Emso
n

Geothermal Heating Systems Cost

By Hank Jones

Throughout winter time, using heating units is crucial. It can certainly become extremely frigid during this season and your house needs its share of heat. Putting in windows with insulating material can help keep the warmth inside a household but still, more warmth is required. During this season, your home may have an increase in power expenses as a result of the power necessary to operate heating units. Thankfully, researchers have discovered a method to generate warmth naturally without the usage of power.

This natural heat source is actually referred to as geothermal heating systems. This heating system is powerful and can supply heat for an entire home or perhaps an entire building. Where does the heat originate from? It comes from the Earth. Most people are well-aware that underneath the Earth's surface is captured heat. This heat is tested to be close to 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit. This warmth is preserved and renewable; therefore you don't have to worry about acquiring a lot of heat from the Earth. As you can see, this is a very natural heat source; you do not have to use electricity, boilers or heating units.

Just how do geothermal heating systems work? There are 3 parts of the system including the ground loop system, heat pump as well as the furnace unit. 1st, the ground loop system or sometimes referred to as "closed loops" are set up beneath the building. It is a system of tubes that are filled with liquids like anti-freeze, water or refrigerant. This fluid travels down to the Earth's source of heat and absorbs the warmth.

The 2nd portion of the geothermal heating systems is the heat pump. Experts use a heat pump to pump out the heat from the Earth; the pump is responsible for pulling up heat from the Earth's heat source and letting the fluid in the pipes absorb the heat. This is actually the primary mechanism that enables the system to pump out heat.

The last element is the distribution system. Once the heat is soaked up and the liquid goes up the pipes, it'll go directly to the furnace unit where the distribution system is. When the heat gets to the distribution system, the building or household can now get the heat it requires during the winter season.

The cycle proceeds like this-when the liquid element has released the heat, it goes back down to absorb heat again. This continuous cycle or process of geothermal heating systems provides a continuous heat flow in the building or household during cold seasons.

Apart from providing heat, the system can actually cool as well. The cycle will happen in reverse with the valves soaking up the heat from the home or building and pumping it out. The same liquid in the ground loop system will absorb the heat from the property or home and cycle it out. This system is beneficial during the summer months when people encounter extreme heat. Energy bills tend to increase due to the usage of electric fans and air-conditioning systems and cycling the heat away might mean financial savings on your part. In addition, you don't really need to use power for the hot water heaters since you can tap into the kept heat in the tube's liquid.

The main reason why geothermal heating systems are popular throughout the cold season is because they are cost-effective. You will be saving lots of money on electricity bills because your heat source is natural. It is said that making use of geothermal heating systems can save you up to 70% on your electricity bills. Moreover, this system also generates more heat without using energy compared to boilers and electric heaters.

Setting up a geothermal heating system doesn't mean you won't spend some money. This is an expense that will make you spend a big amount. You will have to install the ground loop system and heat pump and this cost about $2500. For a standard home, it will cost around $4000 for the entire system. The total amount looks pricey but geothermal heating systems lasts roughly 20-30 years. They are quite low in maintenance too. If you think about it, spending this much on something you will use for 20-30 years with 50-70% savings on electricity bills is a very reasonable trade-off.

Besides the energy bill savings you will get, the best thing about this system is that it is natural and renewable. You're not releasing any harmful chemicals into the Earth's atmosphere and you are not expending any energy at all. It is clean, safe and there's a constant flow of it. Making use of geothermal heating systems is helpful for anyone living on Earth. Furthermore, this system has been proven to work and efficient in providing heat even in the harshest climates around the globe.

Visit this geothermal heating systems site for more information on how geothermal systems work. 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hank_Jones

Choosing The Right Heat Pump

By Matthew Inertia

Heat Pumps aren't a new technology, or even one which has recently undergone a scientific breakthrough which has catapulted them into the spot light! In fact, Heat Pumps have been around for many years. What has brought them back into the spot light is the increasing awareness of the way our lives have an impact on the environment and the ways we can change our homes to reduce this impact.

Heat Pumps offer today's home and business owners a sustainable alternative to gas, oil and electric heating; all of which use non-renewable fossil fuels to generate heat for the home. Instead of this, Heat Pumps use the natural heat which exists within the atmosphere and ground to generate the same heat. As a result we can now heat our home and water supply from a completely self-sufficient and an in-exhaustible supply of fuel!

So, how does a Heat Pump work? Well, the three main types of Heat Pump are: Air Source Heat Pumps Ground Source Heat Pumps Geothermal Heat Pumps

Lets break them down...

The Air Source Heat Pumps

The Air Source Heat Pump is possibly the hardest of the three to figure out. Basically, it steals heat from the air! That's it! In the opposite way to how a refrigerator steals heat from the interior of the fridge and expels it out of the back; an Air Source Heat Pump steals latent heat from the air outside your home, compresses it and transfers that heat to your water and central heating supply.

One question that I can hear everyone asking is "but what happens when its cold outside" -- which is the time when you really need a Heat Pump to work!? Well to explain that we need to think about the way particles behave. At Absolute Zero (-273.15°C or 0 Kelvin) a particle is perfectly still but when we start to increase the temperature the particle starts to vibrate, as we increase the temperature further the particle vibrates more and so on. This vibration is energy and it is this energy which can be used to create heat for your home. In fact, high quality Air Source Heat Pumps can extract perfectly usable heat from temperatures as low as -22°C.

The Ground Source Heat Pump

Boiling away under our feet is a furnace of molten rock so vast it is hard for our minds to comprehend! It is an almost infinite supply of energy and it is what our very existence depends on. Within this molten rock there is a huge amount of un-tapped heat energy and this is projected up through the Earth and into the ground we walk upon.

As the name suggests, a Ground Source Heat Pump uses coiled tubing, laid deep in the ground to extract the natural heat energy from the Earth. This heat is then compressed and transferred into the home as a usable form of heat for your central heating and water supply.

The Geothermal Heat Pump

A Geothermal Heat Pumps works in a similar way to a Ground Source Heat Pump; in that it extracts heat energy from the ground. But instead of burying a closed loop of piping within the ground Geothermal Heat Pumps make use of very deep bore holes which drill straight down into the Earth. Pipe systems can then be buried as near to the hotter depths as possible and in exactly the same way.

In Summary

The three varieties of Heat Pump are right for different situations and scenarios. But one fact rings true for all three... Once you have paid for the Heat Pump you will have an in-exhaustible supply of heat for your home for many, many, many years to come!

For more information on heat pumps please visit Sandium.Com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Inerti
a

An Introduction to Geothermal Heating

By Steven P. Ross

One of the fastest growing sectors of renewable energy resource development is the wide and varied field of Geothermal Heating. No matter the type you choose to match your needs and location, a geothermal installation can be made completely sustainable and is very scalable. It is likely that the future of geothermal energy will find some aspect of it found in every home as part of a varied renewable energy package.

Boiled down to its most basic elements, geothermal energy is generated when the heat of the Earth itself (or submerged magma near reservoir cavities) is used to directly heat water. The water acts as a conduction medium, bringing the heat to another location. One may also use superheated steam to generate electricity by spinning an industrial sized turbine. The water may also be used directly to heat, as is the case in greenhouses with hot water pipes under plant benches.

Geothermically heated waters have been used for at least the last 2,000 years, maybe longer, as the Roman baths found throughout the former Empire can attest to. There was a revival of heated bathing culture in the mid- to late 19th century that saw the creation of countless "healing water" spas. By the 1920s those areas were popular enough that they needed electricity for street lamps and electricity around these often rural destinations, usually flanked by mountains.

The Geysers geothermal power station in northern California was once the site of one of the world's first geothermic power plants, though they were very inefficient. Later, when the spa fell out of fashion, the site became home to no less than 21 industrial turbine generators that make it the largest such facility in the world. Indeed, though Iceland produces more geothermal energy than the US per capita, the output of the US dwarfs the tiny, island nation.

Improvements in generator design have caused there to be a few typical designs for geothermal generators. The oldest type is called "dry stem" and simply uses the steam as it comes out in a single chamber system that turns the turbine. The more modern and efficient method of using what is called a "binary cycle" and two chambers has been very successful and many generators are switching over when they receive overhaul work. Here, either the superheated water itself or another fluid is allowed to undergo pressure changes that instantly turn it into a vapour, thus turning the turbines with each "stroke," like a combustion engine.

One of the most exciting developments in the production of geothermal power is the relatively new practice of injecting reclaimed water into spent vents or heated cavities commonly referred to as, "hot, dry rocks." The water is pumped in while it is still capped, to allow the pressure to grow. It is usually pumped in cold in the hopes that the difference between the water and the rock temperatures will cause further fissures to open up and increase the volume of the cavern to be filled. When new holes are driven in to the rejuvenated geothermal well, the site will usually operate indefinitely as long as there's available water.

Roughly one quarter of North America is capable of supporting any actively heated sites, such as those where hot springs are naturally found. The central and eastern part of the country are still able to use geothermal energy to heat and cool homes and businesses, but their options are limited to passive technologies such as the heat pump. Here, water or glycol is injected into pipes and circulated underground to exchange the heat or absence of it with the constant temperature of the ground outside. Such systems are always closed when they simply circulate underground, but may also be open systems that have intake and outtake pipes submerged deep into a nearby lake or pond.

These passive systems have the advantage of being suitable for homeowners everywhere, having hardly any moving parts that can break and quietly bringing your home to equilibrium with the ambient temperature of the Earth in your area. For those living in climates that get very cold in the winter, this can be the difference between heating your house from 50 to 70F (10-20C) rather than from a typical sub-zero base.

For those looking to investigate how to fit geothermal heat into their sustainable power system, there several organizations that provide detailed information on the topic as part of their advocacy mission.

The next century will surely see a wide expansion of the various geothermal technologies, if for no other reason than it's predicted affordability within even just a few years. As the benefits of geothermal heating and energy production become more widely known, it is certain that heat pumps will become as ubiquitous as wind turbines and solar panels.

If you live in the South Bay Area of California and are interested in geothermal heating for your house or business building then please schedule an appointment with one of our experienced technicians at Sandium.Com

Steven Ross owns and operates [http://www.geothermalheatingreport.com] where you can read many additional articles about Geothermal Heating [http://www.geothermalheatingreport.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_P._Ross

Residential Geothermal Heating and Cooling

By David Munisteri

When you are building a home, you might wonder whether residential and geothermal heating and cooling go well together. After all, geothermal requires that a well be drilled and it can have a higher initial cost than installing a conventional system. Once you begin to consider the advantages of geothermal, however, it will quickly become clear that residential and geothermal heating and cooling do make sense and that geothermal may just be the best way to heat and cool your home.

Benefits of Geothermal

One of the biggest and most obvious benefits of geothermal is that you can achieve significant savings on your electricity bills and on your bills for heating and cooling your home. Geothermal is far more energy efficient- some estimates suggest as much as 400 times more energy efficient- than other heating and cooling systems. In most cases, a geothermal unit will not only provide air conditioning and help with heating your home, but it will also preheat your water or help to warm it up before it gets to the hot water tank. This can give you yet another source of money and energy savings, since hot water heaters are a major contributor to raising the monthly utility bill.

While the reduced energy costs are somewhat offset by the increased cost of installing a geothermal unit, this is true only for a limited period of time. After a few short years, you will have made up the difference in cost for the geothermal unit. With tax credits available on a federal level through 2016, and with many local utility companies offering rebates, the payback period may be even shorter. As long as you remain in the residence, any additional savings on your energy costs after this point will be pure profit. If you sell your home, on the other hand, the geothermal system can raise your asking price and can be a major benefit that encourages buyers to buy.

Aside from the energy benefits, geothermal also has other advantages as well. For one thing, the system tends to run much more quietly than conventional heating and cooling systems do. You won't have to worry about a noisy air conditioner kicking on or a furnace going on and off at regular intervals, but you will instead enjoy nice, quiet power from the geothermal system. This can make your home a more peaceful place to be.

Some who have experience with residential and geothermal heating and cooling also report that their homes feel less humid or warmer, on the whole, once geothermal is installed as compared to with their prior heating and cooling system. This, too, can be a significant advantage, especially if you feel as if your home has cold places or if it can't quite get warm.

With all of these different benefits of geothermal, it is clear that residential and geothermal heating and cooling can work together and that installing a geothermal unit in a residential home can be a great investment in your future comfort and your long-term utility savings.

Learn more about residential geothermal heating and cooling and geothermal heat pumps at Sandium.Com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Munisteri

Home Heating System: Boost the Heat in a Cold Bedroom

By Don Ames

Homeowners know when they're cold and they know where their cold. They may not know how to light a pilot light, or air seal an attic floor, or balance a home heating system, but they know when they are cold. Bedrooms are often the coldest room in the house and most often people just live with it. Stick the kid in the cool bedroom, throw a couple extra blankets on the bed and tell them to finish their homework.

Dealing with a cool bedroom is frustrating. If you turn up the heat to warm the room, the rest of the house gets too warm. Shut all the heating registers except the bedroom and it puts too much back pressure on the furnace. Too often I see a household try to adjust the temperature of one room by closing heating registers in other rooms and soon they have half the registers in the house closed and the home heating system working overtime to satisfy the heating request at the thermostat.

Usually, the home heating system is designed by a professional Heating Contractor that went to HVAC school for several hours a week for a number of years. A Heating contractor must pass an apprentice program before he or she can even take the test for their journeyman license.

HVAC Education

During the educational phase of the heating and cooling training, they are taught how to do a heating load calculation on a home. They take the heating load and develop a designed heating system that includes furnace size, fan capacity, duct size, air flows, and register size. In other words, heating systems are designed to heat all rooms evenly and to work as a system with all registers open.

If you have one bedroom that is cooler than the rest of the house, one of two things has happened:

• The heating system was designed by a contractor that barely passed the test, or
• the heating system is broken.

Recently, I had a homeowner complain that they got very little air flow out of the heating register in their dining room. The dining room was cooler than other parts of the house. With a flow hood, I registered a 75% decrease of air flow at the register as compared to the register in the living room. I removed the register grill, took a flashlight and mirror and looked down the inside of the heating duct.

With the mirror to see around the initial elbow, I could see that a flow damper valve was installed in the heating duct. Further inspection showed that all the heating ducts in the home had a flow damper installed near the registers. The damper in the dining room was the only one that was closed most of the way. The homeowner was not aware that flow dampers were a part of the homes heating system.

Heating Duct Damper

Flow dampers are a bit unusual in my neck-of-the-woods, I don't see them very often. Flow dampers are added to a heating system to allow manual adjustment of the flow of air to the registers. With dampers, the flow of conditioned air can be balanced so warm and cool areas of the home can be eliminated. To keep from putting increased pressure on the furnace fan motor, when one damper is closed down another damper should be opened up.

Sometimes, I believe a heating contractor may throw in a bunch of flow dampers when he looses his pencil and can't be sure of how big to make the heating ducts or how many registers need to be in a room.

6 Ways to Boost the Heat in a Cold Bedroom.

Repair Heating Duct:
There is always the possibility that the duct system has a problem that can be fixed. Ducts can become partially or totally disconnected and flexible ducts can become pinched off or collapsed. This is the first and most important fix considering the cold bedroom. This fix will not only warm the bedroom, but also increase energy efficiency and energy savings.

The first step is the inspection of the duct leading from the plenum to the register to be sure it is securely connected. Also, look for holes, crimping, or collapsed areas. Heating ducts damaged by animals is also a possibility that you should be looking for.

Disconnected heating ducts can be reconnected, but damaged heating ducts most often need to be replaced as they are difficult to repair.

Check for a Damper:
The sneaky heating contractor may have placed a damper in the heating duct and kept it a pretty good secret. Look and feel inside the duct by removing the register cover. Also, remove insulation from the outside of the duct, especially near the register and check for the telling signs of a damper. A metal rod with a small handle and a few anchor screws indicate a damper inside. Open the damper and your cool room problems maybe over.

Balance Room Pressure With a Cross Over Duct:
Now we need to talk about room pressure and balloons. Crack the bedroom door open about an inch, turn the furnace on and see if the pressure builds up in the room and closes the door.

The heating system is a circle of air. Air is heated in the furnace, pushed through the heating ducts into a room and then sucked by the same furnace, out of the room, back through the return air duct to the furnace. If the air in the room cannot get back to the furnace, the room builds air pressure, like a balloon, which restricts the flow of conditioned air into the room in the first place.

With an increase of pressure in the bedroom, the conditioned air is forced through a different duct and into an adjoining room.

To fix the potential problem, many homes have cross over ducts installed in the ceiling or over the door that allow the air in the room to get back into the hallway even when the door is closed. In some larger, higher priced homes, they may have eliminated the room pressure problem by installing a return air register in every room.

To balance the room pressure and stop this problem, the two most used repairs are installing a cross over duct through the wall over the door or simply cutting the bottom of the door off so there is a wider gap between the door and the carpet.

Increase the Size of the Duct:
Maybe the Heating Contractor ran out of 8 inch ducting so he decided 6 inch was close enough. There is a real possibility that the back bedroom is cool because the heating duct system was not engineered correctly. When this happens, the best fix is to correct the mistake and replace the duct with a larger one. If the home is fairly new and the Contractor is still around, you might get this done as a freebee.

In this way, the cool room will get a larger share of the air coming from the furnace. This repair can still be a do-it-yourself'er if your willing. Heating duct material, both ridged and flex, can be purchased at your favorite home store. Some zip ties, a few sheet metal screws, a sharp knife and a pair of tin snips should do the trick.

If the heating duct size is simply too small to service the room, besides replacing the duct with a larger one, the only other fix that might work is installing a booster fan in the duct or adding a complete second duct and register.

Duct Booster Fan
Place a baffle in the heating plenum:
This adjustment can be very effective - especially in a manufactured home. A section of the main heating trunk ( the plenum ) needs to be opened up so a metal baffle or shield can be placed in the main trunk line that will direct more air into the heating duct that goes to the cold room. This is a very effective way to grab more of the conditioned air that passes down the main heating trunk and direct it in the direction you want it go. This is an inexpensive and permanent fix that works very well.

Install a Booster Fan in the Duct:
This $30 part won't create more heat, but it will pull more heat to the cool room. The booster fan should be installed as close to the offending room as possible and can be wired directly back to the furnace fan so the booster fan will run each time the furnace comes on. Installing it can be a pain. A section of round metal duct either needs to be dropped down or added to the system. Be sure the duct system is air sealed or this added fan will pull unconditioned air into the system and lower your energy efficiency.

I know dealing with a cold spot in your home can be a frustrating ordeal. Hopefully I have provided some solutions to the problem that will work for you and your home. The home heating system was designed to provide the comfort you are expecting and deserve and, with a little T.L.C., will provide years of energy efficient service.

If you live in the South Bay Area of California and you are dealing with cold spots in your house- please visit Sandium.Com to schedule a visit with one of our technicians. 

by Don Ames, a home energy auditor that is your host at http://www.detectenergy.com and the publisher of the eNewsletter, the Energy Spy Insider.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Don_Ames

Choosing The Right Home Heating Solution To Meet Your Family Needs

By Mike S Williams

As the climate starts to cool down we all start to be aware of the coldness and consider purchasing warmer attire and heating our home to stay comfortable and healthy. You'll note I mentioned the word "healthy," because reduced home heating can adversely have an effect on a person's physical condition, particularly if he or she already has a respiratory health condition.

Children and the elderly are often more at risk when a simple chill develops into a more dangerous health condition. For that reason alone, effective house heating is essential. It not only keeps us warm and comfortable, it can also help to keep us healthy.

There are several types of house heating systems to choose from, and not every system will match every home. The kind of heating you select will depend on the needs of your family. Any assessment will need to take into account several factors.

• How much you are ready to spend on installation
• The age of your house
• Your home dimensions
• How many rooms you want to warm
• Whether your home is adequately insulated (after all, it might be sensible to start by remedying heat loss via walls, doors, windows and floors to begin with).
• How long you want the heating to operate for (will you have it turned on all day, or would you just turn it on when you arrive home?)
• Do you want instantaneous heat?
• Will you be looking for all-night heating or just at certain times?
• How environmentally friendly do you want your heating to be?
• How cost-effective does it need to be?
• How easy should the heating system be to operate and maintain (do you want to chop logs?)
• How safe do you want it to be (do you have children at home?)

Yes, there are countless things to contemplate when deciding on the best home heating system for your family. Now let's look at some of the numerous options available.

First of all, if you have an older home with a fireplace you may want to get the smokestack swept and burn coal or logs to be warm. Open fires are nice to sit in front of, but they have disadvantages also. They necessitate regular cleaning and somebody will have to chop the wood, or transfer the coal inside. Are you happy using fossil fuels, or would you want something more environmentally friendly?

Some folk install modern heating systems to wedge neatly into the space occupied by an old fireplace. It is worthwhile noting that some heating systems give off fumes, smoke, and/or dry out the air. I can still think of the kerosene vapors from the heater my Mum used when I was a child.

Is under floor heating worthwhile considering?

Under floor heating is now more popular particularly with those constructing or renovating homes. The setup requires a boiler to heat hot water which can then be circulated to radiators, baseboard units, or to radiant heating tubes placed underneath the floor.

Under floor heating warms rooms from the ground up and is generally very efficient to operate. Under floor heating is also hidden and won't take up any space. The systems are generally better operated at a low consistent heat, rather than switching them on and off to produce bursts of heat.

Are other systems worthwhile considering?

Some home owners choose gas fires, or electric plug-in heaters, but they can be costly to operate and are not essentially the most economical way to heat your home. Portable heaters can be very hazardous if they tip over or come in contact with furniture, furnishings, curtains, or garments. Accidents do happen.

Central heating is one more possibility. You really need to decide how many rooms you want to heat and if you want a consistent heat in each room.

What do you need to do before purchasing a home heating system?

First of all, don't simply rush out and purchase a new radiator for your home, as is might prove to really uneconomical and inadequate. Nevertheless, if you are just renting a home or apartment, then a portable electric fire might be a short-term heating solution.

Find out about the numerous heating options and the benefits and disadvantages of each system. You'll then be well-informed to make a good decision on the most appropriate system for your circumstances.

You'll want to debate the preliminary installation price tag with the ongoing expenses of running each system. You will want to look at the efficiency of each heat system in terms of heating output and heating loss.

House heating is not cheap, and purchasing the cheapest may prove to be a false economy. Some systems cost you more upfront, but end up being cheaper in the long-term.

I personally like a home that is warmed equally rather than all the heat being focused in just a solitary room or on one wall. Under floor heating systems can be more pricey (but not always), but they distribute the heat equally throughout a home from the floor up. That's why I personally fancy water underfloor heating.

After doing your exploration you'll then be well-versed enough to contact some established heating specialists to chat about options and prices. Knowledge is power, so you'll be able to ask the right questions and select the right heating solution for your home.

To set up a visit with a professional to determine the best heating solution for you and your family please visit Sandium.Com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_S_William
s

Energy-Efficient HVAC Solutions For Your Home - Heating and Cooling Green

By Matt Gallo

In today's environmentally conscious world, everyone wants to do their part for a more sustainable future. But it's hard to know what you can do to limit your impact on the planet. One of the easiest and most eco-friendly choices is to install an energy-efficient heating and cooling system in your home for dramatically reduced energy usage. And, as if that wasn't enough, the lower energy consumption of these heating systems will also help you save big bucks on your bills! In fact, some Energy Star rated HVAC systems can save you up to 30% on heating and cooling.

Solar Heating Systems

Solar heating systems are a great hot water heating solution that's eco-friendly and has extremely low operating costs. These systems can provide up to 80% of your home's hot water for major energy cost savings. Used to heat hot water, pools, and water for radiant heating, solar heating systems harness the free energy of the sun. And, although solar hot water heating can be expensive to install, it usually pays for itself in less than five years (in reduced energy bills and government incentives). Once the equipment is paid off, you have almost zero operating costs.

Hybrid Heat Pumps

Hybrid heat pumps are efficient combinations of gas furnaces and traditional heat pumps; blending two energy-efficient systems allows this hybrid to get the best of both worlds! Heat pumps function quite efficiently during warm months, but at cold temperatures they typically lose their effectiveness. Hybrid heat pumps work like a hybrid vehicle, turning on the gas furnace when necessary to supplement the efficiency of the heat pump. Switching between the two heat (and cooling) sources allows the system to automatically adjust for optimal function.

Ground Source Heat Pumps (Geothermal Heating and Cooling)

Ground source heat pumps are among the most efficient heating and cooling options on the market today. They're eco-friendly as well as inexpensive. This specialized type of heat pump utilizes the relatively constant temperature of ground to heat your home in winter and cool it in summer. A loop of piping is installed in the ground near or under your house, and liquid (antifreeze or water) flowing through the loop heats or cools your home depending on the season. In summer, the soil is relatively cool, so it chills the liquid, which in turn cools your home; in winter, the soil is warmer, heating the liquid. Ground source heat pumps are a completely safe method of heating and cooling your home with a renewable alternative to fossil fuels. They can even reduce your home heating costs by up to 70%!

Radiant Floor Heating

Radiant heating is another environmentally-friendly heating solution that has gained popularity in recent years. Radiant heat functions by circulating heated water through pex tubing in your flooring. This warms the floor and radiates heat throughout your space as the warmth from the flooring rises. Because the tubing must be installed under the flooring, radiant floor heating is recommended for new construction or during major remodels. However, despite the expense and hassle of installation, many homeowners love the energy-efficiency and great tactile experience of radiant heating. Just imagine walking across a toasty-warm floor instead of icy cold tile! Radiant heat can be used as a whole house heating system or installed in individual rooms (commonly kitchens and bathrooms).

Consult your local HVAC contractor to learn more about these different energy-efficient options for heating and cooling your home. They'll be able to give you expert advice about your specific area and help you select the best HVAC system for your needs. If you're ready to switch to green heating, new energy-efficient systems are the answer you've been seeking!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Gallo

Heat Pumps

By Alison Cole

A heat pump is an electric cooling and heating system used to compress and decompress gas to heat or cool a house. This mechanical device pumps heat from a cooler to a warmer location and can extract heat from air, water or the earth. Heat pumps functions like an air conditioner in the summer and an electric furnace in the winter, thus encompassing both a heating and cooling unit in one device. The COP, or coefficient of performance, which calculates the ratio of heat output to electric power consumption, measures the performance of a heat pump.

Heat pumps are the most resourceful form of electric heating in moderate climates, and cool a house by collecting the heat inside the house and effectively pumping it outside. There are three types of heat pumps that one can install: air-to-air, water source and ground source. Heat pumps can collect heat from air, water or ground and can utilize the same to heat or cool your home. When installing a heat pump at home, one should consider using an energy-efficient heat pump system, keeping in mind the climate of the region.

For instance, air source heat pumps are a good option for mild and moderate climate regions, and ground source or geothermal heat pumps are efficient in climates with similar heating and cooling loads. The most common types of heat pumps are the air-source and ground-source heat pumps. Although ground source heat pumps are more expensive to install, they are more efficient and less noisy.

However, to make heat pumps work efficiently, they should be installed properly, and one should choose the right sized pump that can fulfill the heating and cooling demands of the house. While selecting a heat pump one should buy a device with a higher Heating Seasonal Performance Factor, or HSPF. The pumps should also be fitted with demand-defrost control, which minimizes the defrost cycles and reduces supplementary and heat pump energy use.

Heat pumps are much more cost-effective then other conventional heating devices, and are also becoming more commonly used to heat swimming pools, and hot water for household use.

To learn more about heat pumps please visit Sandium.Com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alison_Cole

Energy 101: Geothermal Heat Pumps

To learn more about Geothermal Heat Pumps please visit Sandium.Com

How Does a Heat Pump Work?

Everybody is familiar with furnaces and air conditioners, but did you know that South Bay Area homeowners have yet another option to heat and cool their properties? It is called a heat pump, and it’s an incredible way to cut down on your home’s power consumption.

So how does a heat pump operate and what are the pros and cons of installing one?

What is a heat pump?

A heat pump is usually a heating and cooling unit that transfers heat from one particular place to a different. Heat pumps is usually applied in place of an air conditioner along with a furnace, simply because they may be capable to both heat and cool a household.

You'll find 3 most important varieties of heat pumps: air-source, ground source and water-source. The name of each of these heat pumps describes the outdoor source that may be made use of to heat or cool your property.

How does a heat pump work?

 When a heat pump is utilized to heat a home, it absorbs current heat from the outdoors air, the ground or even a nearby water supply and transfers it in to the dwelling.

In an air supply heat pump, outdoors air is drawn into the heat pump exactly where it passes over liquid refrigerant coils that absorb the heat from the air. The heated, gaseous refrigerant then goes by a compressor where it increases temperature even more and moves for the indoor coils inside your property. There, the heat is made use of to warm the air in your dwelling and the refrigerant turns back into a liquid and repeats the cycle.

Within a ground or water source heat pump, pipes are buried underground or in a nearby water source exactly where the temperature remains consistently warm all through the year. Water or refrigerant is pumped by way of the pipes plus the underground heat is absorbed and transferred into your home inside a equivalent manner as an air supply heat pump.

No matter the type of heat pump, the approach is basically reversed when it is actually used to cool your home.

What are the pros and cons of using a heat pump inside your Bay Area home?

The biggest advantage of heat pumps is that they may be exceptionally energy efficient. Once they are utilised to heat a house, they simply transfer existing heat as opposed to employing energy to generate heat. Heat pumps perform most effective in milder climates, which makes them an extremely efficient alternative for the South Bay Area region. When you install a heat pump, you also possess the comfort of utilizing one device to heat and cool your home.

The biggest drawback to a heat pump would be the expense of installation. Having said that, this cost is normally created up in future energy savings.

Visit Sandium.Com to learn more about how a heat pump system can save you money in the long run.