Winter is coming, as certain fantasy characters are so fond of telling us. That means that it will soon cease to be air conditioning season and heating season will begin. If you’re in the market for a new heating system, you should consider a geothermal system. Let’s take a look at how a geothermal system operates, and the advantages that it provides.
Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Geothermal’
Why You Should Consider Installing a Geothermal System This Fall
Monday, September 21st, 2015Is Geothermal a Good Home Cooling Option in Chevy Chase MD?
Monday, March 4th, 2013For 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.
Heating Guide: Types of Heating Systems Available
Monday, February 25th, 2013If you’re considering installing a heating system in your new North Potomac, MD home, or thinking of upgrading to a new type of heating, it’s important to know what your options are. Whatever system you choose, you’ll need to consult with a heating professional in order to make sure that your new heater matches the size of your home, and that it meets your energy-efficiency requirements. Let Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating help you make the right decision. Our team of experienced heating technicians can make sure that your home will stay comfortable all year long.
Depending on the size, location, and needs of your home, several options are available to homeowners in the North Potomac, MD area, from geothermal to ductless mini splits. Here are just a few:
- Boiler- The boiler heats water and distributes either hot water throughout your home by means of baseboard copper piping or radiators. It can be fueled by gas or electricity. It can also heat the water in your home, making it one of the most versatile conventional heating systems. As an alternative to a forced-air system, the boiler does not use extensive ductwork to circulate air throughout your home, and remains an economical and energy efficient heater.
- Furnace- This is probably the most common type of heating system. The furnace burns fuel to create hot air, which is then distributed through a system of ducts into the various spaces of your home. New furnaces boast outstanding energy efficiency ratings, much higher than their forebears. Gas furnaces run especially clean.
- Geothermal. As its name suggests, geothermal systems harness the latent temperature of the earth to heat your home. The temperature of the ground below the frost line stays at a median of about 50 degrees Fahrenheit and the geothermal heating system extracts the heat of the median temperature by means of a heat transfer fluid, and a heat pump then uses that heat to warm air which is circulated throughout your home. It is a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution.
Remember that consulting with a heating professional should be the first step. Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating will ensure that your heater is professionally installed and serviced. Call us today at 301-670-003 for heating services in North Potomac, MD and the surrounding areas!
Geothermal Tip: Geothermal Heating Components
Monday, February 18th, 2013Tuckers 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.
Can You Add Zone Control to a Geothermal System? A Common Geothermal Question
Monday, February 4th, 2013A 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.
Heating Tip: How Geothermal Heating Can Make Your Home More Comfortable
Monday, January 28th, 2013Are you considering installing a geothermal heating system in your Chevy Chase home? Call the geothermal heating experts at Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating to get you started. We can go over all the benefits and installation process.
Here are some of the many benefits of a geothermal heating system:
Energy Savings
Geothermal heating systems use the ground temperatures or the temperatures from a nearby water source to heat your home. Ground temperatures are consistent year round, and the heat pump only needs to use a little energy to convert the heat in to hot or cool air. You also get both heating and cooling in one system. Call us if you would like to know more about energy savings from a geothermal system.
Consistency
Because of how they operate, geothermal systems provide consistent heating and air conditioning. However, they must be installed properly. Call a professional heating contractor you trust to install these systems.
Easy to Maintain and Repair
While routine maintenance should prevent repair needs, you may need to call for repairs at some point. Luckily, these systems are easy to repair for most issues. It’s best to call the contractor who installed your system for regular maintenance and repairs since they will know the system best.
The heating experts at Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating are here to take care of all your geothermal heating needs. From installation to repairs, we have you covered. Call any time for your next service in Chevy Chase or the surrounding area!
Why Consider Geothermal Heating?
Monday, January 7th, 2013As 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.
How Does a Geothermal System Work?
Monday, December 10th, 2012Many 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!
Can Geothermal Systems Reduce Humidity?
Monday, November 5th, 2012Geothermal heating systems are a great way to heat and cool your home dependably in a very ecofriendly way. In addition to transferring ambient heat from the ground or water on your property for use in your house, geothermal systems are also effective at reducing humidity levels in your home. At Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating we know that great temperature control is only part of the recipe to keep your home as comfortable as possible. The quality of the air in your home is just as important, and high levels of humidity create uncomfortable living conditions and reduce indoor air quality. If you are thinking about the installation of a new heating and cooling system and are also concerned about humidity levels in your home call the experts at Tuckers. We’ll help you decide if a geothermal heating and cooling system is right for you.
Problems Caused by High Humidity Levels
A little extra moisture in the air inside your home may not sound like that big a deal, but in fact excess humidity can cause some problems. In addition to uncomfortable, clammy air, high humidity levels can promote the growth of bacteria that thrive in damp environments. Too much moisture in the air can damage moldings and any wooden furniture or floors. You may also notice that the paint or wallpaper in your home is peeling away from the walls. Too much moisture can cause affect the adhesion of the paint and wallpaper to the walls, causing the separation. Even conditions that seem like minor annoyances, such as condensation on your windows, can cause damage as the water pools at the bottom of the window.
How Geothermal Heat Pump Systems Help
Geothermal systems keep humidity levels in the comfortable zone between 30-50%. High levels of moisture are removed from the air in your home, and it is condensed into a liquid and drained by the geothermal heat pump. This lowers the relative humidity level inside and helps prevents the problems that humidity can lead to discussed above. In fact, geothermal heat pumps generally do a better job at lowering indoor humidity levels than traditional air conditioning systems. They accomplish this by providing your home with very constant air conditioning performance and maintaining more level temperatures throughout the day.
If you have any other questions about the installation or operation of geothermal heating and cooling systems call the experts at Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating at 301-670-0034. We’d be happy to answer any questions that you may have. We serve Gaithersburg, Rockville, Bethesda, Germantown, and the surrounding areas.
Geothermal Installation Steps
Monday, October 29th, 2012Geothermal heating and air conditioning systems are starting to gain traction here in Gaithersburg. In addition to energy savings and environmental benefits, geothermal systems are also know for their durability. But what are the actual steps to installing one of these systems? Conceptually, a geothermal system is not much different than a traditional central air conditioning system: it uses a pump to move refrigerant through a series of coils. But while most central AC systems use the outdoor air, a geothermal system uses the energy stored in the ground to provide both heating and cooling. Below we outline the installation steps that allow a geothermal system to do that.
Do you have the space?
With a geothermal system, a series of pipes need to be buried in the ground. When you contact your local geothermal specialist, this will most likely be their first order of business. The size of your house and your heating and cooling needs will determine how much piping will be necessary.
Vertical vs. Horizontal
You have the ground space required for a geothermal system, then you’ll need to start drilling and digging. The series of pipes can be laid out horizontally in the ground or they can be dug deeper into the ground and installed horizontally. The type of soil on your property and your space constrictions will determine which method your contractor uses.
The Heat Pump
At the heart of your geothermal system is a heat pump that will be extracting the heat from the refrigerant being pumped through the coils. The heat pump will blow air over a heat exchanger and then your ducts will carry the air through your home. Heat pumps are normally pretty compact and will most likely be placed in your basement or storage area. Your contractor will be able to recommend which brand or model of heat pump you should choose for your specific application.
Supplemental Equipment
A geothermal system works because of the temperature difference between the air in your home and the temperature of the ground. While the temperature in the ground remains relatively constant (around 55° F all year long) the temperature in your home can vary. If you live in an area with extreme cold or hot temperatures, your geothermal system might need some help to heat or cool your home. If this is the case for you, your contractor may recommend the installation of additional heating or cooling equipment to supplement the work of the geothermal loop.
If you’re curious about geothermal systems and would like more information about our geothermal services in Gaithersburg, then contact Tuckers Air Conditioning Geothermal heating and air conditioning systems are starting to gain traction here in Gaithersburg. In addition to energy savings and environmental benefits, geothermal systems are also know for their durability.& Heating today!