Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Geothermal Installation’

Can Geothermal Heating Really Deal With Our Local Winters?

Monday, February 10th, 2020
geothermal-design

Although humans have drawn warmth from the Earth since they learned how to dig, using geothermal heat as a full home heating solution is relatively recent. Because it’s still new to many people, geothermal heat pumps raise plenty of questions. The most common one: Can this thing actually work in our extremely cold winters?

The answer is, yes. Although you have to make sure that when you decide on a heating system replacement in Frederick, MD to put in a geothermal system, you rely on professionals for the work. A correctly installed geothermal heat pump is a great investment, and the experts will make sure you get the results you need from it.

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The Advantages of Installing a Geothermal Heating System

Monday, December 12th, 2016

There are a great many different heating systems available on the market today, each of which has a different set of advantages to offer. If you’re looking for a new home heating system this winter, it’s important that you consider all of the various heating systems and how they might help you. Let’s go over how geothermal heating systems work, and the advantages that they can offer you.

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How Long Does Geothermal Installation Usually Take?

Wednesday, August 20th, 2014

If you have any familiarity with how residential geothermal systems operate, then you may have an image in your head of the installation process: large trenches dug into the ground around your home to lay down a series of refrigerant loops that will harness the stable energy of the earth. It seems like an immense amount of work, and it is. This is why you have to hire trained professionals experienced with handling geothermal installation so the job will get done speedily and with no mistakes.

With Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing handling your geothermal installation in North Potomac, MD, you can expect the quality job that will ensure your new geothermal heat pump will work for many years. It’s a small investment in time that will pay off for decades.

But… how much time?

We understand why many people envision that geothermal installation can takes weeks of work to complete. But the process goes fast when professionals handle it.

The planning for geothermal is the part that takes the longest. You need to first have geothermal specialists survey your property and determine if the available space and the soil conditions make installation practical. After that, the installers must decide what type of system will work best (vertical loops, horizontal loops, open loop system, closed loop system) and the layout. This usually takes a week.

Once the actual installation starts, the physical process will usually only last for two days. The time can vary up or down depending on the hardness of the soil and the depth at which the loops must be placed. If you need a vertical loop configuration, which requires deep drilling, the installation may take a day longer than the shallower digging for horizontals loops, which requires larger and more extensive equipment. However, softer soil will make vertical drilling easier. At the most, in extreme conditions, installation could take up to five days. But for the most part, you should expect the process to last only two days. After that, you’ll have loops that can endure for more than 50 years!

And is it worth it?

Yes! If geothermal specialists identify that your house will benefit from installing a loop system for a heat pump, you will enjoy advantages such as performance that works 3–6 time more efficiently than other heating and cooling systems, and reliable heating through the coldest outdoor temperatures. You will also help the environment by lowering emissions.

To get started with geothermal installation in North Potomac, MD, call Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing. Schedule an appointment with our geothermal professionals to learn if your property is ideal for a geothermal heating and cooling system.

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Is Geothermal a Good Home Cooling Option in Chevy Chase MD?

Monday, March 4th, 2013

For homeowners in the Chevy Chase, MD area looking for an eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuel heating and cooling, geothermal technology is a very attractive option. Geothermal systems harness thermal energy stored in the ground to heat and cool your home. The geothermal experts at Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating provide geothermal installation, repair and maintenance in Chevy Chase, MD and the Montgomery County area. Here are a few considerations that you may want to think about as you start moving forward with geothermal systems.

How Do Geothermal Systems Work?

What is geothermal? Your local geothermal professional will install a long series of pipes underground on your property. The system circulates water or a water-refrigerant mixture through these pipes in order to absorb or disperse heat from the ground. In heating mode, heat from the ground is absorbed and moved into your home. If you are cooling, the moderate temperature of the earth allows the geothermal heat pump to take the heat from your indoor air and disperse it underground. One of the advantages of the geothermal heat pump is that works throughout the year, in summer and winter.

Is it Right For Me?

Deciding whether geothermal is the right cooling option for your home in Chevy Chase, MD depends upon several factors:

  • Topography. Because geothermal systems require piping underground, the topography of your home can impact the installation and operation of the system. The first step is to make sure that you have enough room for the underground pipe loops. Call the Chevy Chase, MD geothermal installation experts at Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating to schedule a consultation.
  • Soil composition. This relates to the topographical location of your home, and it can also impact the installation and operation. Knowing what the underground composition of your property will allow you to make an informed decision when it comes to geothermal cooling.
  • Current system. Switching over to geothermal will involve some changes in the way your system operates, so knowing the details of how those changes will take place is important.

Geothermal is a remarkable technology. It is both eco-friendly and cost-effective, and for that reason, it is growing in popularity throughout America. To learn more about geothermal installation and how it can improve the way you cool your home, call Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating today at 301-670-0034.

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Geothermal Tip: Geothermal Heating Components

Monday, February 18th, 2013

Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating offers geothermal heating services in Gaithersburg and the surrounding areas. Geothermal heating systems are a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly way to heat your home in the winter, and they can be used to cool your home the rest of the year. They utilize the constant year-round underground temperatures and a heat pump to providing heating and AC.

Understanding the basic components of a geothermal heating system can help you decide whether or not this is the right heating system for your home and your budget. We’ve put together a description of some of the basic components for you in this blog post. Call us if you have further questions.

Horizontal and Vertical Loop Fields

The first consideration you need to take into account is whether or not you want to install vertical or horizontal loop fields. Loops simply refer to the underground pipes that contain a refrigerant and water mixture. If you have a larger property, you can install horizontal loop, which can be installed by using a back hoe. However, if you have a limited amount of yard space, drilling may be required to bury the vertical loop closer to your home.

Geothermal Heat Pump

The loop fields are connected to a heat pump that uses a compressor—just like air source heat pumps—to heat or cool your home depending on the season. The heat pump requires very little energy since it is transferring the heat from the ground, which remains at a constant 55 degrees all year long. A small amount of electricity is used to heat this up to higher temperatures to be distributed to the living spaces of your home. You can also install a geothermal water heater that uses the loop fields in the same way to heat the water in your home.

While the loop fields and heat pump are the two basic components, there are many other smaller components involved that provide even greater energy savings. Call the geothermal experts at Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating  at  301-670-0034 for all your geothermal heating needs if you live in Chevy Chase, MD or the surrounding areas.

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Can You Add Zone Control to a Geothermal System? A Common Geothermal Question

Monday, February 4th, 2013

A geothermal heating and cooling system is a great way to boost energy efficiency in your home and to make it more environmentally friendly. Because a geothermal heating and cooling system does not consume fuel in order to keep your Chevy Chase, MD home comfortable, but rather transfers existing heat, it uses much less energy than traditional systems. There are upgrades that you may choose to make to your geothermal system, though, that can make it even more efficient. Call Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating today to learn more about zone control system installation.

A zone control system is a great way to improve the efficiency of most any forced air heating and cooling system. It does so by granting you more control over how energy is used in your home. Have you ever heated empty bedrooms in your house just because you wanted to make the living room more comfortable? With a zone control system you can avoid this conundrum.

A zone control system installation allows you to break your home up into different temperature zones. Each of these zones can then be controlled independently of the other zones. This means that now you can turn up the heating or air conditioning in the living room when entertaining guests without having to do so in unoccupied rooms upstairs. This level of control allows you to exercise more control over energy use in your home, in turn allowing you to save money on energy costs.

Another great benefit that zone control systems offer is the ability to keep everyone in your home comfortable. Different bodies are comfortable at different temperatures, after all. When you think of it that way there is no reason that your entire house should be heated or cooled to the same degree. With the addition of a zone control system to your geothermal heating and cooling system you can enjoy greater efficiency while keeping everyone comfortable and happy.

Call Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating today at 301-670-0034 for more information about how you can incorporate a zone control system into your geothermal heating and cooling system. Save even more energy and money in your Chevy Chase, MD home. Get the system you need to reduce your carbon footprint and your energy bills at the same time.

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Why Consider Geothermal Heating?

Monday, January 7th, 2013

As energy costs continue to rise and the green movement continues to pick up momentum, many homeowners are looking for more efficient, affordable and environmentally friendly home heating options. Before you make any decisions about a new heating system for your home, call Tucker’s Air Conditioning & Heating. We have some information about geothermal heating and cooling systems that you may want to consider. There are a lot of benefits that come with this type of heating system, and we can help you decide if a geothermal heating system installation is right for your home and personal heating habits.

A geothermal system, like other heat pumps, does not consume energy in order to heat your home. Rather, it will use just a small amount of electricity in order to transfer existing heat, allowing it to heat your home in a sustainable way as well as cooling it with a simple reversal of the operation. The elimination of the need for fuel consumption greatly reduces the amount of energy your system will use, in turn greatly reducing the amount of money it takes to keep your home comfortable throughout the heating season.

Geothermal heating systems are also very durable and boast long, efficient lifespans. A geothermal loop system is buried beneath the ground surrounding your home or submerged under water on your property. It is from here that heat is gathered as an antifreeze solution or, in some cases, water itself circulates throughout the loop system. The underground loop system will last you decades, and the heat pump itself has fewer moving parts than many other heaters, cutting down on wear and tear.

The fact that geothermal heating and cooling systems rely on heat beneath the ground or under water also makes them more predictable and dependable than other heat pumps, such as those drawing heat from the air. This is because the temperature beneath the ground or water is much less susceptible to fluctuations than the air is. This makes the geothermal heating option more versatile and reliable in harsher climates.

For more information about why you may want to consider a geothermal heating system on your property, contact Tucker’s Air Conditioning & Heating today at 301-670-0034. We have all the information you need. Call us to discover if a geothermal heating system is right for your home.

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How Does a Geothermal System Work?

Monday, December 10th, 2012

Many homeowners in the Gaithersburg area have begun to hear about geothermal heating and air conditioning systems. At Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating, we’ve been offering geothermal services for many years. We’ve helped lots of homeowners start to take advantage of the benefits of geothermal technology. We get asked a lot about how exactly geothermal systems work. We thought it would be helpful if we put together a quick description of how they work and how they can potentially save you money.

The Ground Loop

10 feet below the surface of the earth the temperature is about 55° F. It remains this temperature throughout the year no matter what temperature the air is above ground. Geothermal systems use this consistent temperature to heat and cool your home. They take advantage of this using a series of coils filled with a water/refrigerant mix buried in the ground.

The Heat Pump

A heat pump in your home is responsible for circulating the refrigerant through the coils and then exchanging heat with the refrigerant through a condensing coil. In heating mode, the coils absorb heat from the ground and carry it to the condensing coil in the heat pump. The heat pump blows cool air from your home across the coils, extracting heat from them and carrying it into the house. In cooling mode, the condensing coils in the heat pump extract heat from the air in your home and then deposit it into the ground.

Geothermal Benefits

Gas fired furnaces and boilers burn fuel to create heat. One of the main benefits to geothermal systems is that in heating mode they don’t need to consume any fuel. They use the free and unlimited energy stored in the ground to heat and cool your home. This allows them to achieve very high levels of efficiency by reducing the amount of energy they use to heat your home. The only energy they require is the electricity to run the heat pump inside your home.

Geothermal Restrictions

Because geothermal systems work because of a series of coils buried in the ground, there are space limitations. Geothermal loops can be installed both horizontally and vertically in the ground. However, if your property doesn’t have sufficient space, a geothermal system might not be appropriate.

If you’re interested in learning more about geothermal systems and if they’re an option for your home in Gaithersburg, contact the experts at Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating. We have years of experience installing, repairing and maintaining geothermal systems. Give us a call today!

 

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Geothermal Question: Will Switching to Geothermal Save Me Money?

Monday, September 10th, 2012

You will come across a wide variety of home heating and cooling equipment on the market today. Most honestly, each one of these systems is more or less appropriate depending on your particular situation. Of course, there are always some options that are way cheaper and smarter than the others. Though this is not all you should look for when comparing various heating and cooling equipment for your home, it certainly is a major determinant.

Geothermal systems are certainly much cheaper to operate when compared to other heating solutions in Gaithersburg. However, this is not all you need to think about when installing a geothermal system for your home. Before you can go for one, you must understand the basic functioning of these systems.

Geothermal systems do not create heat by themselves; they absorb it from the surrounding ground and deliver it to the air inside your home. This is why they use so little energy when operating.

Another noteworthy point about geothermal systems is that they are far more efficient than conventional heat pumps when it comes to absorbing heat from the ground in freezing conditions. These systems are capable of keeping you warm even under the most extreme temperature conditions for a sustained period.

While conventional heat pumps also do not cost much to operate, you may need the assistance of a furnace if the air temperatures drop too low. However, with geothermal systems, there is no such requirement. So if you live in a region with more extreme temperatures, a geothermal system is the thing for you. Though you have the option of a furnace in these conditions, you will be spending more in keeping it running. So, geothermal systems do work out to be the cheaper and smarter option in a variety of circumstances.

The best way to get a clear picture of whether to switch to a geothermal system or not is to take a look at your current bills. Now, you must factor in the installation costs if making the switch to geothermal systems. Though this is something of an investment, it is a long lasting and efficient solution to all your home heating and cooling requirements.  For more information about installing a geothermal system in Gaithersburg, give Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating a call today at 301-670-0034!

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A Geothermal Question: How Does Geothermal Heating and Cooling Work?

Monday, August 27th, 2012

Geothermal heating and cooling is a very energy-efficient way to keep your indoor space warm in winter and cool during summer.  As a geothermal company in Gaithersburg, Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating can help you understand exactly how geothermal heating and cooling works.

Geothermal systems are made up of a geothermal heat pump and a series of pipes called a geothermal loop system that is placed underground.  The geothermal heat pump moves the liquid through the loop system and into or out of the building.

During the heating process, heat is absorbed from the ground via the loop system and the heat pump transfers that heat to the air circulating in your ductwork.  In this instance, the liquid circulating through the loops is colder than the ground that surrounds it, which allows the liquid to absorb energy in the form of heat from the earth.  The liquid is then pumped through the heat pump and it is used to heat the air.

During the cooling process, the reverse happens.  In the summer, the liquid circulating in the loop is warmer than the ground which surrounds it, allowing the liquid to absorb the cooler temperatures found just underground.  The heat pump then uses the cooled liquid to cool the air and circulate it in your home.

Let the geothermal experts at Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating walk you through the geothermal process, and help you determine if a geothermal heating and cooling system is the right option for you.

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