Deep within the earth’s crust lies a molten lava core that provides an endless source of free, clean energy. Recent technology has allowed progressive HVAC companies like BAIR Necessities to tap into that energy source at the surface of the earth to provide cheap, clean energy to heat and cool homes and businesses. This reusable energy source is called Geothermal energy.
While air temperatures fluctuate from day to day and season to season, temperatures just 10 feet below the Earth’s surface stay the same. Geothermal heat pumps use the Earth’s constant temperatures to heat and cool buildings. They transfer heat from the ground into buildings in winter and reverse the process in the summer.
How Does it Work?
In cold weather, heat is drawn from the earth through a series of pipes (called a “loop”) installed in the ground. Water circulates through the loop and carries the earth’s heat to a geothermal pump inside the home. The geothermal heat pump concentrates the earth’s energy and then pumps the warm air through the home’s ductwork or to radiant heat zones in the floor. An older house can often be retrofitted with a geothermal system using the ductwork that is already there. In the summer, the process is reversed. Using the same loops, heat is sucked from inside the home and pumped into the biggest “heat sink” of all—the earth.
A geothermal system can be installed in a residential structure of any size, anywhere, whether it is single-family or multi-family. Geothermal systems can be installed on almost any size lot: under lawns, landscaped areas, driveways, or the house itself.
How Does it Save Me Money?
Geothermal heating and cooling systems save on average $200 on a $500 utility bill per month, for the rest of your life, not to mention almost zero maintenance, an average 22-year life span, and a percentage of FREE hot water. You actually make money every month even when you factor in the installation cost. Our BAIR Necessities’ calculator will give you a quick estimate of your annual savings. For example, a 2500 square foot home in Annapolis, Maryland would save about $3000 a year when compared to oil heating and regular central air conditioning.
The cost of a geothermal system is only about 1.8 times the cost of a traditional HVAC system, and that cost is quickly recovered in energy savings. It only takes an average of 5-7 years to recoup the cost of the geothermal system. After that, you are actually making money while your neighbors send extra money each month to the local utility companies.
As an added bonus you can utilize the waste heat removed from the home’s interior during the cooling season to provide virtually free hot water. This can result in a total savings in hot water costs of about 30% annually, and further lower your home’s total emissions.
How Can I Find out More?
BAIR Necessities was one of the first HVAC companies in Maryland to install and maintain geothermal heating and cooling systems, and we’re still the best. For more information on geothermal heating and air conditioning, please contact BAIR Necessities at 410.721.4142 or by email.