Geothermal Unit Installations: Useful Insight from Denver Heating and Cooling Contractors

Installing your preferred heating system with the help of a Denver contractor can be more difficult than you expect. Since geothermal systems are much newer than most others, there aren’t as many experts who know all about their cost, installation and specific maintenance requirements. However, the efficiency and low long term cost of a geothermal heating pump is a definite asset.

So let’s take a closer look at what Denver HVAC contractors can tell you about these systems and how you should go about getting one for your own home.

 

An Overview of Geothermal Energy and Heat Pumps

The term “geothermal energy” literally means heat energy taken from the Earth, and this is precisely what it is. Hot lava and steam vents from beneath the earth can provide a constant source of heat that our technology can exploit on a practical basis.

With the temperature remaining constant underground all year round, contractors organize the installation of pipes that are buried more than four feet deep into the earth. By pumping a special liquid through the pipes they create what is called a “heat exchanger,” effectively transferring the heat from underground into your home. Working in reverse, geothermal heat pumps can also help keep your home cool in the summer by pumping heat from the air into the earth.

The greatest advantage of a geothermal system is that it uses very little energy to help heat your home – only as much as is required to keep the pump working. Since the actual heat comes from the earth instead of from heated or burnt materials such as methane gas, you neither need fuel nor the energy to burn it.

Although the complexity of these systems will definitely require the presence of an experienced and professional team of technicians, new tax incentives initiated in 2009 make their installation far more convenient than in the past. So if you are looking for the newest and best technology to ask Denver heating and cooling contractors to install on your residential property, geothermal is the way to go.

 

Installing Your Own Geothermal Heating System

Right now geothermal technology is still in its beginning stages, but great progress has been made to simplify the installation process and allow for more affordable installation costs. Unfortunately, a geothermal heat pump is still far from becoming a simple DIY project.

Fortunately, the installation itself is not too complicated. A full evaluation of your home’s integrity and structure is required, and a home energy audit is also needed. Moreover, contractors will have to get informed about the precise location of any underground pipes that might run under your property before they begin work on digging.

While insulation and sealing protocol has to be observed, geothermal heat pumps can easily be integrated into your existing system of vents and pipes. Traditional forced air and radiant floor heating system can also be adapted through the use of the appropriate type of water-to-water or water-to-air heat pumps.

Once the process is completed, you can sit back and relax while your new geothermal system provides you with all the heating requirements you have for your home at a minimal long term expenditure.