A ground source heat pump (GSHP) and a geothermal cooling system are the exact same thing. Geothermal systems are also referred to as ground source heat pumps because they use ground source energy to cool homes.
Geothermal is the best cooling system to have if you're interested in installing a PV solar system for your home or building. Since geothermal dramatically reduces the amount of electricity needed, your solar system should easily be able to power your whole home if sized correctly.
Yes, geothermal can be used to heat your pool year round with our GeoComfort water to water units.
Absolutely! Geothermal can be installed in several ways depending on your needs. In many cases existing AHUs can be used with the GeoComfort condensers. The open or closed ground loop must be installed to 'Go Geo'.
There are two main components to a geothermal system. The ground loops, which are installed underground, have an indefinite lifespan (50 years plus). This part of the system should only need installed once. The second part of the system is the heat pump unit, which is installed indoors. The average lifespan of a geothermal unit is 20 years (many last beyond this), which makes its longevity superior to a traditional heating or cooling system that has an average condenser lifespan of only 5 to 7 years in tropical climate.
The earth absorbs almost 50% of the sun's solar energy and stores it below the surface. The ground loop powering a geothermal system uses that renewable energy to heat and cool homes. Traditional forms of heating and cooling like natural gas, propane, oil, air source, etc. do not use a renewable energy to operate, so they can never be as environmentally friendly.
Traditional HVAC systems that use fossil fuels cannot be as efficient as a geothermal system because they require combustion (flames) to operate and provide heat. Air-source and ductless systems are also not as efficient as geothermal because they are creating warm or cold air based on the outdoor temperatures, which can fall well below freezing or on the opposite end, get very hot. Geothermal is transferring heat from the moderate temperatures below ground as opposed to the varying conditions we feel outside.
Yes! This is where the different types of ground loops come into play. Vertical ground loops are typically installed for limited space.
Anywhere! Literally. Geothermal systems can be installed in the city, suburbs, or rural areas; anywhere between the mountains and the Caribbean; in old homes and buildings or new; and in small or large structures. We've even seen geothermal used frequently to regulate greenhouses. There's almost no job geothermal can't do.
Geothermal heating and cooling systems, also known as ground source heat pumps, heat, cool, and provide environmentally-friendly, energy-efficient heating, cooling, and hot water for homes and buildings.