FAQs Archive ⋆ Page 3 of 4 ⋆ Earth River Geothermal, Inc.

Q: What is a geothermal heat pump?

A geothermal heat pump is an electrically-powered device that uses the natural subterranean heat stored within the earth to heat and cool your home.

Q: If you want to know more about geothermal heat pump systems, who should you contact?

YOUR ELECTRIC UTILITY. Most electric utilities have information about these systems. If you have a question they can’t answer, they will put you in contact with someone who can.

Q: If a home has ceiling cable heat or baseboard heat, do air ducts need to be installed?

Not always. It may be desirable to install geothermal heat pump room units. For some small homes, a one-room unit would provide most of the heating and cooling needs. Ceiling cable or baseboard units could then be used for supplemental heat.

Q: How long is the payback period for your geothermal heat pump system?

To figure this accurately, you must know how much per year you’ll save in energy costs with a geothermal system and the difference in costs between it and the alternative heating system and central air conditioner. To calculate your return on investment (payback in a number of years), divide the annual savings into the additional cost. When you install a geothermal system in a new home, the monthly savings in operating costs will generally offset the additional monthly cost in the mortgage, resulting in monthly positive cash flow immediately. Keep in mind that energy savings are only one of the many benefits you receive from a geothermal system.

Q: Will open- or closed-loop be best for you?

Earth River Geothermal, Inc. only installs closed-loop vertical geothermal loop fields.

Q: Are the dealer and loop installers qualified?

Don’t be afraid to ask for references from dealers. A reputable dealer won’t hesitate to give you names and numbers to call to confirm his capabilities. The same applies to the loop installer.

Q: Will the minimum entering water temperature have an effect on which heat pump I buy?

Yes. If you have an open-loop system, your entering water temperatures (EWTs) may range from the 70s in the southern United States to the 40s in Canada. All heat pumps can handle temperatures in the moderate to warm ranges. A closed-loop system, on the other hand, will encounter EWTs below freezing. Not all geothermal heat pumps will operate efficiently at those temperatures. It’s important for you to know what EWTs your heat pump will handle.

Q: Is the efficiency rating actual or just a manufacturer’s average?

All types of heating and cooling systems have a rated efficiency. Fossil fuel furnaces have a percentage efficiency rating. Natural gas, propane, and fuel oil furnaces have efficiency ratings based on laboratory conditions. To get an accurate installed efficiency rating, factors such as flue gas heat losses, cycling losses caused by oversizing, blower fan electrical usage, etc., must be included. Geothermal heat pumps, as well as all other types of heat pumps, have efficiencies rated according to their coefficient of performance or COP. It’s a scientific way of determining how much energy the system produces versus how much it uses. Most geothermal heat pump systems have COPs of 2.5 – 3.5. That means for every one unit of energy used to power the system, two and one-half to three and one-half units are supplied as heat. Where a fossil fuel furnace may be 50-90 percent efficient, a geothermal heat pump is about 300 percent efficient. Some geothermal heat pump manufacturers and electric utilities use computers to accurately determine the operating efficiency of a system for your home or building.

Q: What is the BTU size of the furnace that’s being proposed?

Furnaces are designed to provide specific amounts of heat energy per hour. The term “BTUH” refers to how much heat can be produced by the unit in an hour. Before you can determine what size furnace you’ll need, you must have a heat loss/heat gain calculation done on the structure. From that, an accurate determination can be made on the size of the heating system you’ll need. Most fossil fuel furnaces are substantially oversized for heating requirements, resulting in increased operating costs.

19 10, 2019

How do ground source heat pumps work?
Gallery
How do ground source heat pumps work?

How do ground source heat pumps work?

earthriver2021-08-19T17:32:40-04:00

How do ground source heat pumps work?earthriver2021-08-19T17:32:40-04:00

19 10, 2019

What is a geothermal heat pump?

earthriver2019-10-19T12:51:22-04:00

What is a geothermal heat pump?earthriver2019-10-19T12:51:22-04:00

19 10, 2019

If you want to know more about geothermal heat pump systems, who should you contact?

earthriver2019-10-19T12:49:14-04:00

If you want to know more about geothermal heat pump systems, who should you contact?earthriver2019-10-19T12:49:14-04:00

19 10, 2019

If a home has ceiling cable heat or baseboard heat, do air ducts need to be installed?

earthriver2019-10-19T12:48:25-04:00

If a home has ceiling cable heat or baseboard heat, do air ducts need to be installed?earthriver2019-10-19T12:48:25-04:00

19 10, 2019

How long is the payback period for your geothermal heat pump system?

earthriver2019-10-19T12:47:39-04:00

How long is the payback period for your geothermal heat pump system?earthriver2019-10-19T12:47:39-04:00

19 10, 2019

Will open- or closed-loop be best for you?

earthriver2019-10-19T12:46:36-04:00

Will open- or closed-loop be best for you?earthriver2019-10-19T12:46:36-04:00

19 10, 2019

Are the dealer and loop installers qualified?

earthriver2019-10-19T12:43:19-04:00

Are the dealer and loop installers qualified?earthriver2019-10-19T12:43:19-04:00

19 10, 2019

Will the minimum entering water temperature have an effect on which heat pump I buy?

earthriver2019-10-19T12:42:05-04:00

Will the minimum entering water temperature have an effect on which heat pump I buy?earthriver2019-10-19T12:42:05-04:00

19 10, 2019

Is the efficiency rating actual or just a manufacturer’s average?

earthriver2019-10-19T12:40:36-04:00

Is the efficiency rating actual or just a manufacturer’s average?earthriver2019-10-19T12:40:36-04:00

19 10, 2019

What is the BTU size of the furnace that’s being proposed?

earthriver2019-10-19T12:39:37-04:00

What is the BTU size of the furnace that’s being proposed?earthriver2019-10-19T12:39:37-04:00