June 25, 2013
Could Geothermal be the Solution For You? 
Extracting the energy which has been stored in the ground since the actual formation of our planet is not science fiction. Quite on the contrary, archeological evidence shows that geothermal heat has been exploited by humankind since the earliest period of the Stone Age. Furthermore, it is a renewable source both supplied by the natural radioactive processes in the deeper levels of the ground and the solar waves absorbed on the surface of the globe.
Today, technological advances provide cost-effective and easily applicable solutions even for units as small as a single household to benefit from this opportunity. The most widespread tool with which the harvest of this vast and virtually inexhaustible source can be started is commonly known as heat or geothermal pump. Such a device can alone spare the household all the bills which are overwhelming the budget in any heating season.
There are some popular misconceptions surrounding this solution. Many will believe that they have to move dangerously close to an active volcano in order to be capable of harvesting a sufficient amount of heat from the ground. Others will find it unbelievable or at least suspiciously unlikable that the cold winter ground will store any of that craved warmth so much needed inside the house. The fact is that seasonal and geographical differences in regard to temperature will ease in the ground as one digs lower and lower. Below 23 feet the variation completely disappears. This means that wherever your house is located it will not equal to a lack of sense considering the application and use of a geothermal heat pump.
At the first look, there are to main drawbacks of such a system when one crosses the line and actually starts to compare them to more widespread and traditional forms of heating. The price of the device itself will more often than not surpass that of a common gas furnace or an electric boiler.
About that second look: the device normally constitutes of two main and easily distinguishable parts: an underground loop system which will circulate the fluid and an over-ground component, the pump itself, forcing the circulation. Although it comes for a higher price than traditional solutions, the estimated system life of a geothermal heat pump is much longer too. The over-ground component can serve as long as 25 years while the loop will hold on for twice as long. Previous experience shows that under normal circumstances, the investment that such a system requires will return in three to ten years just on energy savings.
Of course, previous experience and industrial averages do not have to suffice one’s own curiosity about the balance of drawbacks and gains of buying a geothermal pump. Most HVAC companies distributing such heating solutions will provide many of the necessary details to give a fair estimation of the costs of the installation and usage of the system. Compare them against last year’s heating bills and you will be able to tell whether geothermal heating is a sensible solution in your personal case.
St. Louis Geothermal Installation
At Scott-Lee Heating we offer GeoComfort products for installing geothermal systems. They are the only geothermal brand that offers a complete R410A product line. This means that the refrigerant is environmentally friendly and will not deplete the ozone.