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Is a Geothermal System Right for Your Home?

animated diagram of a geothermal systemWhen it comes to where we live, a reliable heating system is an absolute necessity. Could you imagine going through even one Utah winter without one? It would be unbearable. Of course, it could be possible if you don’t properly care for your heater—which includes having it routinely maintained, and replacing it when its time.

If you are considering a new Ogden, UT heating installation within the next year or so, you’d do well to consider a geothermal system—which can be used for year-round comfort!

What Is a Geothermal System?

This is a heating and a cooling system that operates highly efficiently. As you may have already figured out from the name, this type of HVAC system uses the ground in order to operate. More specifically, a geothermal heat pump utilizes the relatively constant temperature of the ground in order to go through the heating and cooling process.

Just like any other heat pump, geothermal systems use a refrigerant cycle to remove heat from your home during the summer and to pump it into the home in the winter. What makes the geothermal system unique is that the heat exchange process takes place within the ground rather than the air outside.

How Does the Geothermal Process Work?

In the summertime, geothermal systems evaporate refrigerant in the indoor evaporator coil, which is housed in the indoor unit. As refrigerant evaporates, it pulls heat out of the air passing over this coil. That refrigerant then travels outdoors, where it’s pumped through the buried geothermal loop. Its heat is deposited into the ground, which is at a cooler temperature than the refrigerant in the loop, enabling it to cool back down in order to repeat the process until your living space is properly cooled.

So when temperatures cool off during the winter, you can reverse this heat exchange with the ground. When reversed, heat is drawn out of the ground, which warms the refrigerant, which can then be condensed within the house. As this occurs, the refrigerant releases the heat, and that heat is used to warm the home back up to a comfortable level.

What Are the Benefits?

Geothermal energy is renewable. This makes it a great option for those homeowners who are eco-conscious. Geothermal heating and cooling is also very efficient when compared to systems such as furnaces, which have to burn fuel or use electric resistance to generate new heat.

Even in its cooling mode, geothermal systems are well known for their efficiency. It’s easier to exchange heat with the stable temperature of the ground than with the air outside. Additionally, there is an added benefit of convenience: you only have to use one system all year round for comfort!

So long as your system is well-maintained (you should schedule maintenance twice a year since it’s both a heating and cooling system), it will last for many, many years, and even typically require less by way of repairs and maintenance than other systems do.

Contact your HVAC and plumbing experts at Rentmeister Total Home Service today!

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