~ How Geothermal Energy Works ~
Throughout the year, almost 50% of the sun's energy is absorbed into the earth where it maintains a consistent temperature just a few feet below the ground's surface. Geothermal technology takes advantage of this renewable energy by combining a series of underground loops with a heat pump inside that looks very similar to a conventional furnace. This combination of high performance technology allows us to tap into the earth's natural heating and cooling properties to consistently and evenly distribute warm or cool air in your home. An environmentally friendly antifreeze solution carries energy directly from the ground loop into the heat pump. In the winter, the heat pump acts as a furnace, distributing the heat throughout your home using the system's heat exchanger and compressor. In the summer, it acts as an air conditioner, collecting the heat from your home and returning it to the earth. In addition to year round indoor comfort a geothermal system can also provide you with inexpensive domestic hot water. |  |
~ Ground Loop System ~
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Horizontal Loops Horizontal loops are the most common type of loop system, and are commonly used in rural areas due to the land space needed for installation. An excavator will dig several trenches about six feet deep in the ground, each one up to 300 feet long. Our green geothermal pipe is placed in the trenches which are then backfilled with soil. |
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Vertical Loops Vertical loops are primarily used in urban areas because they require little land space for installation. A specially designed geothermal drilling rig bores vertical holes into the ground each ranging from 180 to 540 feet deep. Our green geothermal pipe is inserted into each vertical bore and then the holes are filled with bentonite grout. |
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Pond or Lake Loops On properties that have a nearby lake, pond or dug-out that is appropriate in size and eight feet deep, a loop system can be submerged at the bottom of the body of water. A single trench is excavated from the home to the water and typically two pipes are inserted into it. These two pipes connect to several green geothermal pipes that are submerged at the bottom of the lake or pond. |
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Open Loops Open loops are most commonly used on rural properties that have existing high capacity water wells. Ground water is withdrawn from an aquifer through a supply well and pumped into the heat pump, while discharged water from the heat pump is redirected into a second well and back into the same aquifer. |
