Pioneer is offering a $600 per ton rebate on GT heating and Cooling installations.

Whether you’re building a new home or considering a new heating and cooling system for your existing one, consider the economical and environmental advantages of geothermal technology.

Geothermal heating and cooling systems use proven technology to provide the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean space conditioning available by moving heat to and from the Earth to heat and cool your home. Plus, this cost-effective system can save your family an average 30 to 60 percent in energy costs each year. Combined with other technologies, such as Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF), today’s homebuilders have a huge advantage when it comes to building energy-efficient homes.

Geothermal systems use simple technology to capture the Earth's renewable energy. Working with an underground (or underwater) loop system, geothermal systems use the Earth’s constant temperature to exchange energy between your home and the Earth as needed for heating and cooling.

In winter, water circulating inside a sealed loop absorbs heat from the Earth and carries it to the home. Then it is compressed to a higher temperature and sent as warm air into the home. During the summer, the system reverses this process and expels heat from the home into the cooler Earth via the loop system. As an added bonus, geothermal heating and cooling units provide the co-benefit of low-cost hot water, a result of the geothermal process. Additionally, geothermal energy is an unlimited resource. The lot surrounding a home contains a vast reservoir of low-temperature thermal energy, typically 10 times that is required during a typical heating season. And this resource is constantly replenished by the sun, the surrounding Earth and heat rejected while cooling during the summer.

To learn more about how you can enjoy the benefits of geothermal heating and cooling systems, contact Linda Horn at Pioneer Electric Cooperative.

How Does It Work?

Closed-loop systems circulate a water-based solution through a “loop” of small diameter underground pipes. In cold weather, this solution absorbs heat from the Earth and carries it to the geothermal unit, where the heat is amplified and delivered throughout your home. The process is reversed in warm weather, and excess heat is carried from your home and deposited into the earth, keeping your home cool and comfortable during the hottest summer, and warm and cozy during the coldest winter.

HORIZONTAL LOOP

Horizontal Loops are installed in areas where the soil conditions allow for economical excavation. Taking up more land area than any other loop type, they are used where space permits. Trenches are normally 5 feet deep. Normally, several hundred feet of trench is required.

VERTICAL LOOP

Vertical Loops are used extensively where land area is limited. A pair of pipes with a special U-Bend assembly at the bottom are inserted into a bore hole that averages between 150 to 250 feet in depth per ton of equipment.

LAKE LOOP

Lake Loops are usually very economical to install. If a pond or lake at least 8 feet deep is available, lake loops can utilize the water (rather than soil) for heat transfer. Reduced installation costs are characteristic of this type of loop system.

OPEN LOOP

Open loop installations actually pump water from an underground aquifer through the geothermal unit and then discharge that water to a drainage ditch or pond. Discharging water to a pond or lake is considered ideal.