There is a real revolution in the world of heating and air-conditioning that started several years ago.  The technology and expertise have matured to the point where reliable, consistent equipment and installation techniques have brought real efficiency and savings to the market place.

The essential element of geothermal technology, also known as a ground coupled heat pump system, is the ability to use the earth's natural energy to heat and cool.  For more details read the information available at the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association's website at www.igshpa.okstate.edu.   We are members and accredited installers trained by IGSHPA.

We install and recommend Hydron Module brand of geothermal heating and air-conditoning equipment.  The systems are built with solid stainless steel cases, stainless fasteners, and top of the line components.  Hydron warranties are some of the best in the industry, and like Amerine Mechanical, Inc., they are a family-owned business.  Take a look at their website www.hydronmodule.com.
 

Here are some Hydron Module units ready to be installed in a residence.  This particular residence
has three geothermal systems for a total of 13 tons of cooling fed from an open loop ground source.
 

Some Notes on Geothermal Equipment in Texas

Geothermal heating and air-conditioning was initially developed and matured in northerly climates where the climate is dominated by the need for heat.  Consequently, many of the experts in the field did not have wide experience in cooling those dominated areas.  We have seen and continue to see geothermal installations that do not cool well and tend not to be as efficient as advertised in our part of Texas.

Because the most common mistake is under-sizing of the cooling equipment, an accurate assessment of the cooling needs of a residence is important in normal air-conditioning sizing;  for geothermal is it critical.  We recommend an accurate load assessment using the latest Manual J.

Another common mistake we often see is the placement of the geothermal equipment in the attic space.  When a unit is placed in an air space that commonly reaches 125 to 145 degrees, part of the efficiency is lost.  We normally add 6,000 btu's of capacity to a system that has an attic placement.

Efficiency and Cost

Geothermal installations have significantly higher installation costs.  In some cases the cost can be double that of a top line heat pump system.  Due to the high efficiencies with properly-sized and installed geothermal systems, the extra cost can be recouped in energy savings farily rapidly--usually in two to four years.  Geothermal equipment is built to last longer than standard air-to-air systems; taken together over the life of the system, geothermal heating and air-conditioning make a lot of sense.

So, how efficient is it?  IGSHPA estimates cooling savings over efficient air-to-air heat pumps of 25%.  In heating, 50% to 70% savings.  If a system is set up to recapture unused heat for hot water use, savings can be even higher.