PGI Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems of Long Island
How GEOTHERMAL Systems work
Geothermal heat pumps utilize some of the same technology found in your home's refrigerator. They are both devices that move heat energy. Your refrigerator removes heat from the food and transfers it to the air in your home. Your geothermal heat pump removes heat energy from the earth to heat your home and removes heat energy from inside your home to cool it.
A Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) System consists of a water-to-air or water-to-water heat pump, connected to a series of long plastic pipe buried below the earth’s surface, or placed in a pond. These systems can also utilize well water instead of the earth loop. As fluid from the earth loop or well water is moved through the unit, the heat pump transfers thermal energy that heats or cools the home or building. On Long Island we are fortunate to have well water that is close to the surface. Well water is the most efficient system and because of our sandy soil one can drill a shallow well to return the water after it leaves the Geothermal heat pump.
Click here to view GSHP Data Sheet view Desuper Easy Valve Data Sheet
Geothermal Systems (GSHP) Frequently Asked Questions
Why don’t more homeowners use Geothermal?
It’s just a case of education. Some people relate to the old Geothermal air to air heat pumps. As we hear almost daily, technology continues to advance, affording us the benefits of advancing the state-of-the-art. The older heat pumps, circa 1970, were not reliable, not efficient. Air to air systems do not take advantage of ground water’s constant temperature or constant ground temperatures of the Earth. The latter, coupled with today’s modern technology that incorporates variable speed compressors and variable speed (ECM) blowers. Its like comparing old black and white televisions to today’s modern plasma or LCDs. An EER rating of greater than 20 coupled with the ability to run most of the time at about 60% capacity and taking advantage of the Earth’s constant temperature, makes no sense for anyone to ignore installing a modern Geothermal system.
Today, Geothermal systems’ efficiency in the 20 range or better speaks for itself. Also, the use of an environmentally friendly refrigerant R410 as opposed to R22, allows you to operate in a more friendly “greener” mode and at higher inefficiencies because you can operate compressors at higher pressure.
I still don’t understand why more people have not changed to Geothermal!
If you technically understand today’s technology but are unaware of the specifics of Geothermal, it is a fairly small exercise to be brought up to speed to understand why it makes sense to switch to Geothermal. If this technology is out of your area of expertise, just do the simple math. Write down your cost of oil or gas per year and write down the cost of your electric bill per year. Assume a 70% drop in the cost of your fossil fuel bill and only a 20% drop in your electric bill and see how many years it takes you to pay off the Geothermal system. You will enjoy the savings year after year.
What is a Geothermal Ground Source heat pump (in simple terms without getting too technical)?
It utilizes the Earth’s constant water (well) temperature in what is referred to as an open loop system where you have a supply and return well or, alternately a buried plastic pipe in a slinky like configuration
buried about six feet and filled with antifreeze/water solution. Here on Long Island well water is about 55 degrees F all year round. Ground temperature, at a depth of six feet, is about the same.
The heat pump, which is a basic refrigerant system like that used in your refrigerator or air conditioner, achieves very high efficiencies by putting heat back into the well water being returned in the second dispersion/return well or into a water/antifreeze solution circulating through a buried slinky pipe system. Conversely, in the heating mode, the refrigerant system takes advantage of the heat in the well water or ground.
In the winter, the heat pump, through a reversing valve, reverses the system so the indoor air coil serves as the system condenser and the outside unit as the evaporator.
A simple explanation is this. In the summer if you put your hand over the outdoor condenser or a standard air conditioner, you would feel very warm air being blown out with the inside coil blowing the cold air into the house duct system. If you physically switched the two coils, you have heat in the house and cool outside. That is the job of the reversing valve in the heat pump, it simply switches the direction of the refrigerant flow.
How it work is simple. If you heat water to 212 degrees F, it turn to steam or vapor which everyone learned in school. Just imagine a refrigerant liquid that is heated to only about 30 degrees F to vaporize. Today, Hydron utilizes a new environmentally friendly refrigerant in ALL its’ dual speed units commonly referred to as Puron or R410 gas as opposed to the more toxic R22 used in most refrigerants. In the year 2010, manufacturers, by Federal Law, will have to switch to R410 or other more environmentally friendly types of refrigerants for all appliances.
Here is the basic theory of operation for a condenser/evaporator heating air conditioning system. In the heating mode, the compressor raises the pressure of the liquid (heating it). This very high pressure turns the liquid refrigerant to a gas. Now you have very hot gas passing through a coil in the house. The cold air passing over the coil absorbs heat from the hot refrigerant vapor. As the air coil in the house is blowing out hot air, it has been absorbing the hot liquid thus cooling it. The refrigerant turns back to a liquid. This warm liquid then flows through the Geothermal heat exchanger coil where the thermal energy from the well water or ground loop slinky vaporizes the refrigerant and the cycle continues.
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS Deliver Peace of Mind
Many homeowners take comfort in knowing that a Geothermal System can help them achieve significant energy savings compared to ordinary heating and cooling systems. In fact, many homeowners realize savings up to 60 to 70% in heating, cooling and hot water. And, because a Geothermal System does not burn natural gas, propane or fuel oil, homeowners are impacted less by skyrocketing costs of fossil fuel.
With a Geothermal System you can save money without sacrificing an ounce of comfort. Geothermal units provide a consistent, even flow of conditioned air throughout the home, eliminating hot spots and cold spots. Models that feature dual capacity compressors and variable speed blower motor to provide precise temperature control and comfort, no matter what the temperature is outside.
While comfort and energy savings are prime considerations, your home comfort system should also assure peace of mind without worries about reliability, maintenance and safety. Industry studies have shown that Geothermal Systems are very reliable and require only minimal maintenance. Because the units are installed indoors, wear and tear from harsh weather conditions is eliminated. And, without the need to burn fossil fuels, there are no concerns about safety; no flame, no fumes, no flues, no carbon monoxide and no outdoor duel tanks. Further, the life expectancy of a Geothermal System is significantly greater than for ordinary air conditioners and heat pumps.
It is also possible to include an optional electric heat back-up feature that can be used in emergency situations or very extreme cases of very cold weather.
Geothermal heat pumps utilize some of the same technology found in your home's refrigerator. They are both devices that move heat energy. Your refrigerator removes heat from the food and transfers it to the air in your home. Your geothermal heat pump removes heat energy from the earth to heat your home and removes heat energy from inside your home to cool it.
A Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) System consists of a water-to-air or water-to-water heat pump, connected to a series of long plastic pipe buried below the earth’s surface, or placed in a pond. These systems can also utilize well water instead of the earth loop. As fluid from the earth loop or well water is moved through the unit, the heat pump transfers thermal energy that heats or cools the home or building. On Long Island we are fortunate to have well water that is close to the surface. Well water is the most efficient system and because of our sandy soil one can drill a shallow well to return the water after it leaves the Geothermal heat pump.
Click here to view GSHP Data Sheet view Desuper Easy Valve Data Sheet
Geothermal Systems (GSHP) Frequently Asked Questions
Why don’t more homeowners use Geothermal?
It’s just a case of education. Some people relate to the old Geothermal air to air heat pumps. As we hear almost daily, technology continues to advance, affording us the benefits of advancing the state-of-the-art. The older heat pumps, circa 1970, were not reliable, not efficient. Air to air systems do not take advantage of ground water’s constant temperature or constant ground temperatures of the Earth. The latter, coupled with today’s modern technology that incorporates variable speed compressors and variable speed (ECM) blowers. Its like comparing old black and white televisions to today’s modern plasma or LCDs. An EER rating of greater than 20 coupled with the ability to run most of the time at about 60% capacity and taking advantage of the Earth’s constant temperature, makes no sense for anyone to ignore installing a modern Geothermal system.
Today, Geothermal systems’ efficiency in the 20 range or better speaks for itself. Also, the use of an environmentally friendly refrigerant R410 as opposed to R22, allows you to operate in a more friendly “greener” mode and at higher inefficiencies because you can operate compressors at higher pressure.
I still don’t understand why more people have not changed to Geothermal!
If you technically understand today’s technology but are unaware of the specifics of Geothermal, it is a fairly small exercise to be brought up to speed to understand why it makes sense to switch to Geothermal. If this technology is out of your area of expertise, just do the simple math. Write down your cost of oil or gas per year and write down the cost of your electric bill per year. Assume a 70% drop in the cost of your fossil fuel bill and only a 20% drop in your electric bill and see how many years it takes you to pay off the Geothermal system. You will enjoy the savings year after year.
What is a Geothermal Ground Source heat pump (in simple terms without getting too technical)?
It utilizes the Earth’s constant water (well) temperature in what is referred to as an open loop system where you have a supply and return well or, alternately a buried plastic pipe in a slinky like configuration
buried about six feet and filled with antifreeze/water solution. Here on Long Island well water is about 55 degrees F all year round. Ground temperature, at a depth of six feet, is about the same.
The heat pump, which is a basic refrigerant system like that used in your refrigerator or air conditioner, achieves very high efficiencies by putting heat back into the well water being returned in the second dispersion/return well or into a water/antifreeze solution circulating through a buried slinky pipe system. Conversely, in the heating mode, the refrigerant system takes advantage of the heat in the well water or ground.
In the winter, the heat pump, through a reversing valve, reverses the system so the indoor air coil serves as the system condenser and the outside unit as the evaporator.
A simple explanation is this. In the summer if you put your hand over the outdoor condenser or a standard air conditioner, you would feel very warm air being blown out with the inside coil blowing the cold air into the house duct system. If you physically switched the two coils, you have heat in the house and cool outside. That is the job of the reversing valve in the heat pump, it simply switches the direction of the refrigerant flow.
How it work is simple. If you heat water to 212 degrees F, it turn to steam or vapor which everyone learned in school. Just imagine a refrigerant liquid that is heated to only about 30 degrees F to vaporize. Today, Hydron utilizes a new environmentally friendly refrigerant in ALL its’ dual speed units commonly referred to as Puron or R410 gas as opposed to the more toxic R22 used in most refrigerants. In the year 2010, manufacturers, by Federal Law, will have to switch to R410 or other more environmentally friendly types of refrigerants for all appliances.
Here is the basic theory of operation for a condenser/evaporator heating air conditioning system. In the heating mode, the compressor raises the pressure of the liquid (heating it). This very high pressure turns the liquid refrigerant to a gas. Now you have very hot gas passing through a coil in the house. The cold air passing over the coil absorbs heat from the hot refrigerant vapor. As the air coil in the house is blowing out hot air, it has been absorbing the hot liquid thus cooling it. The refrigerant turns back to a liquid. This warm liquid then flows through the Geothermal heat exchanger coil where the thermal energy from the well water or ground loop slinky vaporizes the refrigerant and the cycle continues.
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS Deliver Peace of Mind
Many homeowners take comfort in knowing that a Geothermal System can help them achieve significant energy savings compared to ordinary heating and cooling systems. In fact, many homeowners realize savings up to 60 to 70% in heating, cooling and hot water. And, because a Geothermal System does not burn natural gas, propane or fuel oil, homeowners are impacted less by skyrocketing costs of fossil fuel.
With a Geothermal System you can save money without sacrificing an ounce of comfort. Geothermal units provide a consistent, even flow of conditioned air throughout the home, eliminating hot spots and cold spots. Models that feature dual capacity compressors and variable speed blower motor to provide precise temperature control and comfort, no matter what the temperature is outside.
While comfort and energy savings are prime considerations, your home comfort system should also assure peace of mind without worries about reliability, maintenance and safety. Industry studies have shown that Geothermal Systems are very reliable and require only minimal maintenance. Because the units are installed indoors, wear and tear from harsh weather conditions is eliminated. And, without the need to burn fossil fuels, there are no concerns about safety; no flame, no fumes, no flues, no carbon monoxide and no outdoor duel tanks. Further, the life expectancy of a Geothermal System is significantly greater than for ordinary air conditioners and heat pumps.
It is also possible to include an optional electric heat back-up feature that can be used in emergency situations or very extreme cases of very cold weather.