More and more American homeowners are making the energy-saving switch to geothermal heating and cooling. Professional installation by an experienced contractor is essential, as is correctly maintaining a geothermal system. Following are some important guidelines for any owner or potential owner of a geothermal heat pump system.
Tips for Maintaining a Geothermal System
- Don’t skimp on installation. Work with a geothermal contractor with substantial experience installing these systems. While the indoor half of a geothermal system works more or less like a standard heat pump, the outside component is unique to these systems. For a ground-source geothermal system, which is the most common variety, a loop field must be dug in your yard for either a horizontal or vertical network of plastic pipes that will carry the heat-exchange solution. The contractor must size the new geothermal system, both inside and outside components, so it can satisfy your home’s particular cooling and heating loads.
- The antifreeze level must be right. The solution running through the loop system serves the essential purpose of transferring heat energy between the ground and the heat pump inside the house. When in heating mode, heat is extracted from the ground, and when cooling is needed, heat is removed from the home and expelled back into the ground. Properly maintaining a geothermal system means a technician must ensure the antifreeze level and pressure is correct during regular maintenance visits.
- The indoor unit also requires regular maintenance. The inside component of your geothermal system should be cleaned and tuned up annually to operate efficiently and reliably. The refrigerant level should be checked and heat-exchange coils cleaned if necessary. The air filter should be inspected monthly and changed when it’s dirty.
- Ductwork should be maintained. As with any forced-air HVAC system, the ducts that deliver conditioned air throughout your home should be properly sealed, insulated and cleaned, if necessary.
- Loop system should be inspected. The technician will run tests to make sure the underground loops aren’t leaking and have the right amount of antifreeze.
For professional help maintaining a geothermal system in your Dayton area home, please contact the experts at Ace Hardware Home Services, Inc.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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