FAQs

How do GSHP systems compare in efficiency to other heating and cooling systems?

Heating efficiencies are between 30% to 60 % higher and cooling efficiencies 20% to 40% higher than the conventional systems.  This results in significant savings on utility bills.

The cost of heating a building with Propane is getting to be outrageous. Natural Gas is currently less expensive, but both of these fuels are predicted to have significant price increases in the near future. GSHP’s offer an affordable alternative to the use of fossil fuels and are environmentally responsible.

Is it possible to heat, cool, and provide domestic hot water with just one GSHP system?

Yes, in fact most of the systems we install provide all of the above. Changing from heating to cooling is a simple flip of a switch, or can also be set up as an automatic change, based on thermostat settings.

How can a GSHP provide supplemental domestic hot water?

GeoComfort manufacturing has recently introduced a new variable speed heat pump that produces all of a house’s domestic hot water needs without the use of a Desuperheater

Are GSHP’s a new form of heating / cooling technology?

No, GSHP’s have been in use worldwide for over 30 years. It is fairly recent however that they have become the system of choice for those looking for performance, cost efficiency, reliability, and environmental responsibility. This is due to a number of factors;

• Rising fossil fuel prices and environmental concerns with respect to greenhouse gas emissions
• Improvements in GSHP equipment reliability and performance efficiencies
• Federal, state, and local tax credits and rebates available to those who install renewable energy systems.

Heat pumps have been around for a long time. Your refrigerator uses a heat pump to move heat from the interior of the refrigerator box – to the outside of the box. Air-to-air heat pumps have also been used for heating and cooling buildings for many years. The problem with air-to-air heat pumps, however, is that in cold, heating dominated environments they don’t operate as efficiently because of the cold air temperatures. The more recent technology of ground source heat pumps has eliminated this problem. Countries such as Canada, with cold climates and (cold ground temperatures) have led the world in adopting this technology.

Are GSHP’s used only for residential applications?

No, they have been successfully used in virtually all types of buildings and have even been used for heating swimming pools and cooling the ground for ice rinks.

What does a GSHP look like and are they noisy?

Heat pumps are equivalent in size (or smaller) than conventional boilers and furnaces. They are fairly quiet, and we utilize vibration dampening and sound attenuation to make them even quieter. The location of the heat pump can be chosen to avoid a noise concern. The piping in the loop field (boreholes or horizontal) is completely buried, out-of-site. There are no outside condensing units, which means there is no exterior noise or unsightly equipment occupying valuable space. Since the equipment is indoors, it lasts longer and requires less maintenance. Heat pumps have only a few moving parts, and therefore fewer potential points of failure. Far less than conventional heating devices.

How will a GSHP save me money?

You will save money both in operating costs and maintenance costs. The payback period to recoup the GSHP investment varies, but 10-12 years is generally considered the typical range of time. If the cost of the system is included in a construction loan, then the cost is amortized over a long period of time; the added monthly payment attributable to the system cost is less than the monthly savings in utility bills resulting in a net positive cash flow starting at day one.

What does a GSHP system cost?

The initial installation cost for a GSHP system is greater than that of a conventional system. Costs are dependent on the size of the building, the efficiency of the building’s heated envelope, site factors, etc. Once we know more about the project, we can size the system and determine the cost.

An important thing to remember is that even though the initial cost is greater, you immediately start to benefit from the cost savings due to the extraordinary performance efficiencies and lower maintenance costs.

A home with lower heating and cooling costs is a more valuable home to prospective buyers. Lenders are willing to loan more on such a home because they know there is added value. The buyer’s purchasing power is raised because their monthly expenses for utilities will be less.

New homes that reach an Energy Star Hers (home energy rating system) Rating which demonstrates a heating / cooling savings greater than 50% compared to a baseline home, can be eligible for a $2,000 tax credit. Many lenders have reduced origination fees and rate reductions on Energy Star homes which meet certain rating standards.

Can I retrofit my existing building with a GSHP?

Yes, in most cases it is rather straightforward to either exchange an old, inefficient system with a GSHP and a new high efficiency backup boiler, or to create a dual-fuel system where the GSHP provides the majority of the heating and cooling with the existing (less efficient) equipment functioning only as the backup system. On a retrofit, the GSHP’s high efficiency typically means much lower utility bills, allowing the investment to be recouped in within 10 to 12 years.

Do I need to have a backup system?

Most systems we install have a backup system. We typically design /size the GSHP to handle about 80% to 90% of the heating load. This is the most cost effective strategy.  Sizing the system large enough to handle all possible loads is typically too expensive and just not necessary. What this means is that GSHP performs most of the work, and only the infrequent, coldest weather will result in the backup system helping out. On our forced air GSHP systems this backup often consists of an electric resistance strip heater mounted in the plenum.

Why should I consider installing a GSHP?

A better question should be why not?

Why not install the most cost efficient, reliable, environmentally clean heating and cooling system available?

• The EPA has called Geothermal heat pump systems, also known as Geothermal, the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective space conditioning systems available

More Questions??

We welcome the opportunity to answer any other questions you may have about GSHP or the other energy efficient solutions we offer. We are available for free consultations. Client references are available upon request