Advanced
Heating Solutions becomes the first CGC qualified firm in Atlantic
Canada.
We install Nordic brand heat pumps. Built locally in Petitcodiac, NB, Nordic has a solid track record and over 25 years experience in the industry. We are an accredited designer/installer and a member of CGC (Canadian Geoexchange Coalition).
Geothermal Heat Pumps
Geothermal
heat pumps are electrically powered home heating and cooling
devices which transfer heat to and from the earth via a refrigeration
process. Heat pumps have been in operation for over 50 years
and operate on the same principle as your household refrigerator
or air conditioner.
Heat
Pump in Summer |
Heat
Pump in Winter |
The ways to utilize geothermal are: closed loop or open loop.
Closed
Loop Systems
Trench method |
Closed
loop means pipe is put underground and an antifreeze solution
is circulated to absorb the earth’s heat. This heat is
carried into the home to the heat pump which concentrates the
heat to a higher temperature. It can then be used to heat the
home. For building lots with ample space, the pipes can be
laid in trenches 6 feet deep.
Bore Hole |
The
trenches are back-filled and the land can be used for almost
anything. In many cases the land is left in much better shape
after the trenching.
Closed
Loop Header |
For
smaller lots, boreholes are drilled and the pipes inserted
vertically. No ground water is used, the solid pipe just absorbs
heat along the length of itself. Boreholes are slightly more
efficient but more costly than the trenches. The number of
trenches or boreholes depends on the size of the house to be
heated.
Open Loop Systems
The open loop method uses two wells, drawing water from one well
and sending it to the heat pump. The heat pump concentrates the
heat in the water, and heats the home. The cooler water is then
returned to the water table via a second well. This method can
be more efficient than closed loop if the well yields enough
volume of water for the heat pump and domestic usage, plus is
free of minerals that can affect the heat pump. The level of
water in the well should be near the surface so power required
to pump is low.
To see a video about closed or open looped systems click the
following link. www.geoexchange.us/animation/flash-dsl-800x600.html
Heat
Distribution in the Home
Heat
Pump (Forced Air) |
Circulator
Pumps |
That’s
how we get the heat from the earth; now how should it be distributed
inside the home?The two main ways to distribute the heat are:
forced air and infloor heat. Forced air uses conventional ductwork
to circulate warm air throughout the house. In the summer,
the system can be reversed to provide air conditioning. The
ductwork for geothermal needs to be slightly larger than normal
as the “warm”
air is not quite as warm as oil or wood heat. The house is heated
just as comfortably by circulating higher volumes of warm air
from the heat pump.
Heat
Pump for infloor heat |
Infloor
heat uses hot water circulated through pipes in the floor of
the house. The overpour method of infloor heating (pipes are
within concrete) is preferred for it’s ability to heat
the home using the lowest temperature of water. Pipes mounted
under the floor (in-joist) can work if designed properly but
is less efficient. The downside to infloor heat, despite it’s
superior comfort in the heating season, is that it cannot provide
air conditioning during summer. Ductwork could be installed
for A/C in an infloor heat application, although for the increased
cost, forced air only might be a better solution.
A
nice feature of Nordic heat pumps is that they provide domestic
hot water, while they are running to heat or cool the home.
Hot-water
baseboard heaters require very hot water due to their distance
from the occupants of the house. The requirement for very hot
water makes this type of heating system incompatible with heat
pumps.
Natural Renewable Energy
Solar
heat which has been stored in the earth’s crust provides
the inexhaustible source of supply energy for a geothermal
heat pump. This energy is replenished each year by the sun
during the normal cycle of our seasons. There is enough energy
stored beneath each building to more than supply the cooling
and heating requirements. All we need to do is extract that
energy and the geothermal heat pump has been designed to do
just that!
Studies
by the US Department of Energy and Natural Resources Canada
ranked new generation geothermal heat pumps above all other
heating and cooling systems in their ability to conserve energy
and reduce CO2 emissions.
When
compared to an electrically heated home, geothermal heat pumps
consume less than 1/3 the amount of electrical energy to heat
the structure. Consequently the electric utility company generates
only 1/3 the emissions it normally would.
What
can a home owner expect from a geothermal heat pump?
| Savings |
Savings
up to 66% over electric heat as well as possible discounts
on house insurance. |
| Comfort |
Automatic
heating, cooling and hot water with a centrally located
heat/cool thermostat. |
| Cleanliness |
A
cleanly operating system with no combustion. |
| Durability |
Geothermal
heat pumps have a solid track record for long life and
can be protected by our 10 year extended warranty. |
| Reliability |
Systems
are housed indoor and are underground protected from
harsh elements and with few moving parts the systems
are virtually maintenance free. |
| Green
energy |
Heating
and cooling a home with a renewable energy source helps
reduce green house gas emissions. |
For more info check out   |
