FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
General:
How Can One Heat a House with 50° Ground Temps?
The heat pump concentrates the heat from the ground using a refrigerant and a vapor/condensing cycle.

How Much Does a Geothermal System Cost?
There are many factors that affect the cost of a geothermal heat pump system:
Size of house
Quality of insulation, windows, and air infiltration of house
Location and elevation of house
Size and terrain of building lot
Type of ground beneath house, i.e.  rocky, sandy, dry, wet etc.
Type of heat pump equipment specified
Verticle or horizontal loop

Most systems fall in the range of  $6 -$12 per sq. ft of living space. This price does not apply to small houses.

According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy, operating costs are 30 to 60 percent less compared to traditional furnaces. This means a geothermal unit will pay for itself in 7 to 10 years. Subsidies and tax incentives, which vary from state to state, can make the systems even more affordable.

What Tax Credits Are Available?
Answer:  The Federal Tax Credit for Geothermal Heat Pump is $2000.
The State Tax Credit can be found here.

How efficient is a Ground Source Heat Pump?
The GSHP (Ground Source Heat Pump) is one of the most efficient residential heating and cooling systems available today, with heating efficiencies 50 to 70% higher than other heating systems and cooling efficiencies 20 to 40% higher than available air conditioners. That directly translates into savings for you on your utility bills.

Can one system provide both space heating and cooling for my home? And what about heating hot water?
Yes. A Ground Source Heat Pump can be a combination heating/cooling and hot water heating system. You can change from one mode to another with a simple flick on your indoor thermostat. Using a desuperheater, some Ground Source Heat Pumps can save you up to 50% on your water-heating bill by preheating tank water.

How does a Ground Source Heat Pump system heat water for my home?
Using what is called a desuperheater, Ground Source Heat Pumps turn waste heat to the task of heating hot water. During the summer, when the system is in cooling mode, your hot water is produced free as a byproduct of the thermal process. In winter, with the heating mode, the desuperheater heats a portion of your hot water. Desuperheaters are standard on some units, optional on others. Stand-alone systems that will heat water all year around can be purchased.

How much space does a Ground Source Heat Pump unit require?
Most of a Ground Source Heat Pump installation is underground. Inside the house, the heat pump units are about the same size as a traditional heating and cooling unit.

How long will my Ground Source Heat Pump system last?
Ground Source Heat Pumps are durable and highly reliable. The Ground Source Heat Pump contains fewer mechanical components, and all components are either buried in the ground or located inside the home, which protects them from outside conditions. The underground pipe carries up to a 50-year warranty. Ground Source Heat Pumps are guaranteed for 25 years.

How noisy is the Ground Source Heat Pump unit?
Ground Source Heat Pumps are very quiet, providing a pleasant environment inside & outside of the home. Ground Source Heat Pumps have no noisy fan units to disturb outdoor activities, on or near the patio.

How safe are Ground Source Heat Pumps?
Ground Source Heat Pump systems are safe and protected. With no exposed equipment outdoors, children or pets cannot injure themselves or damage exterior units. Ground Source Heat Pumps have no open flame, no toxic exhaust fumes, flammable fuel or potentially dangerous fuel storage tanks.

What about comfort?
A Ground Source Heat Pump system moves warm air (90-105(F) throughout your home or business via standard ductwork. An even comfort level is created because the warm air is moved in slightly higher volumes and saturates the building with warmth more evenly. This helps even out hot or colds spots and eliminates the cold air blasts common with fossil fuel furnaces.

How effective is this underground system?
The buried pipe, or ground loop, is the most recent technical advancement in heat pump technology. Recently, new heat pump designs and improved buried pipe materials have been combined to make Ground Source Heat Pump systems the most efficient heating and cooling systems available.

Are Ground Source Heat Pump systems guaranteed?
Nearly all Ground Source Heat Pump system manufacturers offer a warranty for major components that is equivalent to the warranties for conventional heating and cooling systems. Manufacturers of plastic pipe used for ground loops warrant their products for 50 years.

Can these systems be used for commercial, industrial, or apartment requirements?
Yes! Many Ground Source Heat Pump systems are being installed using a multitude of systems hooked up to an array of buried vertical or horizontal loops. This simplifies zone control and internal load balancing.

What are the advantages to an HVAC dealer?
Ground Source Heat Pump systems create a huge retrofit market not subject to wild fluctuations in housing construction. There is also ample opportunity for stable growth benefiting the dealer and his employees. In addition, these systems are relatively maintenance-free, requiring only regular filter changes. This means fewer maintenance and support calls. There is no outside equipment, so wear and tear is less.

Savings:

How will I save money with a Ground Source Heat Pump?
Ground Source Heat Pumps save money, both in operating costs and maintenance costs. Investments are recouped. There is a positive cash flow, since the energy savings exceeds payment on the system.

How much does a Ground Source Heat Pump cost?
The initial investment for a Ground Source Heat Pump system is greater than that of a conventional system. However, when you consider the operating costs of a geothermal heating, cooling, and water heating system, energy savings quickly offset the initial difference in purchase price.

A geothermal system has a higher up front cost when compared with a conventional heating and cooling system primarily due to the buried loop system. Some homeowners view the system as being too expensive. They fail to see the whole picture. In reality, the monthly cost of heating and cooling, the cost of hot water and your monthly mortgage payment will actually cost you more per month than it would had a geothermal system been installed. Your geothermal system will produce considerably lower monthly utility bills and annual maintenance costs.

The initial cost of a geothermal system can be tied into your monthly mortgage payment or other form of low interest financing. The savings on your utilities easily covers the cost of the increased loan payment, resulting in positive monthly cash flow.

Best of all, a geothermal system usually pays for itself within an eight to ten year time span. With geothermal technology, it’s like prepurchasing 60-70% of your energy up front. Consider that as you think of the rising cost of energy.

How would increased use of Ground Source Heat Pump systems affect electricity cost and availability?
The reduced peak load requirements would allow utilities to serve more customers and to lower fixed costs per customer, thus offsetting some increased variable costs. This would result in less cost per kilowatt, since fixed investment for new capacity is high.

Environment / Climate:

How do Ground Source Heat Pumps protect the environment?
Ground Source Heat Pump systems conserve natural resources by providing climate control very efficiently-thus also lowering emissions. Ground Source Heat Pumps also minimize ozone layer destruction by using factory-sealed refrigeration systems, which will seldom or never have to be recharged.

What are the environmental benefits of Ground Source Heat Pump systems?
Currently installed systems are making a huge difference in our environment! The systems are eliminating more than three million tons of carbon dioxide and is equivalent of taking 650,000 automobiles off the road. Ground Source Heat Pump systems conserve energy and, because they move heat that already exists rather than burning something to create heat, they reduce the amount of toxic emissions in the atmosphere. They use renewable energy from the sun, and because the system doesn't rely on outside air, it keeps the air inside of buildings cleaner and free from pollens, outdoor pollutants, mold spores, and other allergens.

Do soil freezing conditions create any problems?
Not if a system is properly designed and installed. The three to four foot depths allow the sun to melt the frozen soil during the summer. Adequate length per ton capacity prevents objectionable soil movement.

Concerning Your Home:

Will my existing ductwork function with this system?
Yes, in most cases. Your dealer or installer will be able to determine ductwork requirements and if any minor modifications are needed.

Will an underground loop affect my lawn or landscape?
No. Research has shown that loops have no adverse effects on grass, trees, or shrubs. Most horizontal installations require trenches about six inches wide. Temporary bare areas can be restored with grass seed or sod. Vertical loops require little space and do not damage lawns significantly.

My yard contains many shade trees. Will this affect ground temperature and my ability to use it as an energy source?
Not at all. The system is installed deep enough that it utilizes constant ground temperature.

Can a Ground Source Heat Pump system be added to my fossil fuel furnace?
Yes. Called dual systems, they can easily be added to existing furnaces for those wishing to have a dual-fuel heating system. Dual-fuel systems use the Ground Source Heat Pump system as the main heating source, and a fossil fuel furnace as a supplement in extremely cold weather should additional heat be needed.

Will I have to add insulation to my home if I install one of these systems?
Ground Source Heat Pump systems will reduce your heating and cooling costs regardless of how well your home is insulated. However, insulating and weatherizing are key factors in gaining the maximum amount of savings from any type of heating and cooling system.

We are now geothermal drillers, too. Call us for your drilling needs. Unlike most drill rigs, our new sonic drill can go into small areas.

Contact Palace GeoThermal
Palace Home Services
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