Keeping your Charleston, South Carolina, home comfortable all year long is a tough task. Traditional HVAC systems are capable of helping your family enjoy home comfort. But what if you could enjoy an eco-friendly environment that helps lower your energy use and still meets your family’s comfort needs? Find out what geothermal energy is and how it relates to your air conditioning and heating systems.
What’s Geothermal Energy?
Geothermal energy is the heat or thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth. There are underground geothermal resources of hot water that you can tap into and bring to the surface. Once this happens, you can these water supplies for different applications like electricity generation and heating and cooling systems.
Geothermal HVAC Systems
Geothermal HVAC systems work like heat pumps by using Earth’s natural resources. During winter, these heat pumps extract natural heat from an underground water source and transfer it indoors through a pipe system to heat your home. During summer, a geothermal heat pump will work in reverse by drawing heat from inside your home and transferring it underground. As a result, it works to create a cooler indoor environment.
Advantages of Geothermal Systems
There are many advantages to installing a geothermal HVAC system in your home, which includes:
- Lower Energy Costs: According to the U.S. Department of Energy, these systems are 65 percent more efficient than traditional HVAC units. So even though their upfront installation costs might be higher, geothermal systems pay for themselves over time in energy savings.
- Long Lifespans:The indoor components of a geothermal heat pump can last approximately 25 years, while ground loops can last 50 years or more.
- Eco-Friendly Environment: Since geothermal heat pumps use natural resources, they produce fewer harmful emissions than traditional HVAC systems that work by burning carbon-producing fuels.
If you would like to learn more about geothermal energy, Berkeley Heating & Air Conditioning is ready to help. Contact us to learn more about our geothermal services or to schedule an installation.
Image provided by Thinkstock