Keep an even temperature with geothermal
Geothermal energy is an eco-friendly, renewable, and cost-effective alternative to traditional heating and cooling systems, and Easterday-Wilson Water Services is your all-in-one source for geothermal energy.
Geothermal energy harnesses the temperatures below the surface of the earth to heat or cool your home. The temperature below the surface remains a consistent 50˚F – 60˚F year round even as the air temperature fluctuates during the seasons.
Geothermal does double duty!
A geothermal system circulates water or antifreeze through a loop of underground pipes and into a building.
During the heating cycle, a geothermal system uses the earth loop to extract heat from the ground. As the system pulls heat from the loop, it distributes it through a conventional duct system as warm air. The same heat energy can also be used for a radiant floor system or domestic hot water heating.
In cooling mode, a geothermal system air conditions your home by reversing the heating process. Instead of extracting heat from the ground, it is extracted from your home and either moved back in the earth loop or used to preheat the water in your hot water tank. Once the heat is removed from the air, it is distributed through the duct system in your home.
Since the fluid in the loops is cool in the summer and warm in the winter, the heating and cooling system doesn’t have to work as hard as other types of HVAC systems.
If you are looking for a new energy source to heat and cool your home, it’s time to consider geothermal. It is a natural and non-polluting alternative to traditional fuel services, and because the temperature of ground water remains consistent all year round, harnessing its cooling and heating properties can provide year-round comfort for your home.
Benefits of geothermal:
- Year-round comfort
- No foreign oil or gas
- Quiet, compact units
- Uses solar energy
- Low maintenance
- Low operational cost
- Automatic and reliable
- Double the lifespan of conventional system
As an additional benefit, consumers who install geothermal heat pumps can receive credits and rebates, with details available on the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency website . The state of Maryland offers Clean Energy Grant incentives as well.
Types of geothermal ground loops
Our water specialists can drill and install both closed loop systems, which recirculate a water/refrigerant hybrid for heating and cooling purposes, and open loop systems, which rely on well water as a source of heat exchange.
Horizontal loops
When space is not an issue, horizontal ground loops are an incredibly economical and efficient option. Several hundred feet of trenches are dug 6 to 10 feet deep. Looped piping is then buried in the trenches. Horizontal loops are common configurations for new homes and commercial properties that have acreage to spare, but are not advised for erratic climates due to the shallow trenches.
Vertical loops
A vertical loop is installed in deep drilled holes to a depth of 400 feet or more. The loop pipes are placed into these holes, typically placed 20 feet apart.
Slinky loops
Slinky loops are gaining in popularity, especially in residential geothermal system installations. Coils of pipe are overlapped in loops laid out horizontally on the bottom of a wide trench.
Pond loops
If a ½ acre pond at least 8 feet deep is available, a closed loop system can be installed by laying coils of pipe in the bottom of the pond.
Open loops
Rather than continuously running the same supply of water through a closed loop system, an open loop geothermal system runs fresh water from a well or pond into and then back out of the geothermal unit.
Geothermal is all-encompassing comfort
Easterday-Wilson Water Services offers complete loop install services and works with your HVAC contractor to fulfill your geothermal ground loop requirements.