Geoexchange Systems

Bowman Mechanical Services specializes in the installation and service of earth-coupled/geothermal heat pump systems as well as high-performance conventional systems.

Why Go Geothermal?

Today many homeowners across the United States are enjoying a high level of comfort and significantly reducing their energy with geoexchange (geothermal) heating and cooling. Geoexchange technology relies primarily on the Earth's natural thermal energy to heat or cool a house. The only additional energy geoexchange systems require is the small amount of electricity they employ to concentrate what Mother Nature provides and then to circulate high-quality heating and cooling throughout the home.

Geoexchange systems are popular among homeowners for three important reasons. The first reason for gained popularity is their ability to deliver comfortably warm air, even on the coldest winter days. The second reason is because of the extraordinarily low operating costs. As an additional benefit, geoexchange systems can provide inexpensive hot water, either to supplement or replace entirely the output of a conventional, domestic water heater. Owners of geoexchange systems can relax and enjoy high-quality heating and cooling year after year as they require little maintenance or attention from homeowners.

How Does This System Work?

Warm in the Winter

Geoexchange systems generate heat during the winter by collecting Earth's natural heat through a series of pipes, called a loop. This loop is installed below the surface of the ground or submersed in a pond or lake. Fluid circulating in the loop carries this heat to the home. An indoor geoexchange system then uses electrically-driven compressors and heat exchangers in a vapor compression cycle--the same principle employed in a refrigerator--to concentrate the Earth's energy and release it inside the home at a higher temperature. In typical systems, duct fans distribute the heat to various rooms.

Cool in the Summer

In summer, the process is reversed in order to cool the home. Excess heat is drawn from the home, expelled to the loop, and absorbed by the Earth. Geoexchange systems provide cooling in the same way that a refrigerator keeps its contents cool--by drawing heat from the interior, not by injecting cold air.

Geoexchange Facts:

• If one in twelve California homes installed a geoexchange system, the energy savings would equal nine new power plants.
• Current geoexchange installations equal 14 million barrels of crude oil saved per year.
• Putting a geoexchange system in a typical home is equal in greenhouse gas reduction to taking two cars off the road.

Source: Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium