A geoexchange heating and cooling system uses the consistent temperature of the earth to provide heating, cooling, and hot water for both residential and commercial buildings. Water is circulated through polyethelene pipes in closed loops that are installed below the earth's surface. These loops can be buried horizontally in the ground or submersed in a pond. The loops are connected to an extended-range water source heat pump installed in your home. Click here for more information on how TERRASource systems work.

Yes you can. Our system is pre-engineered to make the installation process simple that anyone can do it. Everything is color coded and labeled to eliminate any guess work.

 

TERRASource offers a unique ground loop system that you will only find with Geothermal DIY or a TERRASource Distributor. Our ground loops come pre-filled with antifreeze and equipped with quick connect fittings which enables the consumer to bury the loops according to the specifications provided (i.e. trench length, width and spacing). Each loop has quick-connect fittings and manual shut off valves that slide onto manifold ports. Just add water, and the antifreeze will mix throughout the loop field while it purges the air from the system.

 

The manifold is equipped with an 8’ 110 volt power cord and a 25’ colored micro plug control wire that plugs directly into the heat pump. We provide everything you need except for the digging and duct work, pre wired for a “plug and play” installation. There no special tools to purchase for the installation of a TERRASource Geothermal System.

 

Once your TERRASource geothermal system has been installed, in most cases’ you can see the savings immediately. For example . if your average heating and cooling cost are $7000.00 annually you could save up too an estimated $4200.00 dollars per year. This doesn’t include the estimated 30% saved annually on your domestic water heating or the $400 dollar rebate offered by the Energy star program.

Once you install your TERRASource geothermal system, in most cases, you will see the savings immediately. Energy savings can range from 30% to 60% annually compared to conventional heating & cooling systems. Depending on the state you live, there are incentives available from federal and state governments and some utility providers which can further reduce your overall system costs. With eliminating the high contractor installation costs and utilizing some of the rebates available, your TERRASource geothermal systems should pay for itself in less than five years. With today’s rising energy costs the investment you make today will pay dividends long into the future and with our TERRASource system, we have made it easy!

SEER, Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, is most commonly used to measure the efficiency of a central air conditioner. It measures how efficiently a cooling system will operate over an entire season. The higher the SEER, the more efficient the air conditioner. Technically speaking, SEER is the ratio of the cooling output in Btu divided by the power consumption in watts per hour.

 

Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) is a measure of how efficiently a cooling system will operate when the outdoor temperature is at a specific level (95oF). In technical terms, EER is the steady-state rate of heat energy removal (i.e. cooling capacity) by the product measured in Btuh divided by the steady-state rate of energy input to the product measured in watts. This ratio is expressed in Btuh/watt. The higher the EER, the more efficient the air conditioner.

 

Both SEER and EER are included in the ENERGY STAR specification because each rating indicates the energy efficiency of the product under different operating modes. SEER rating more accurately reflects overall system efficiency on a seasonal basis and EER reflects the system’s energy efficiency at peak day operations. Both ratings are important when choosing a product.

 

As of January 2006, all air conditioners sold in the United States must have a SEER of at least 13. ENERGY STAR qualified Central Air Conditioners must have a SEER of at least 14, and an EER of at least 11 for single package equipment and 11.5 for split systems.

 

Visit the ENERGY STAR website for more information on qualified Central Air Conditioners and Air Source Heat Pumps.

 

Equipment	Specification
Central Air Conditioners	>=14 SEER/ >=11.5 EER* for split systems >=14 SEER/ >=11 EER* for single package equipment including gas/electric package units
Air-Source Heat Pumps	>=14 SEER/ >=11.5 EER / >= 8.2 HSPF* for split systems >=14 SEER/ >=11 EER / >= 8.0HSPF * for single package equipment including gas/electric package units (HSPF = Heating Seasonal Performance Factor)

[Form numbers may change from year to year. Contact your accountant or IRS professional to verify forms necessary.]

 

According to ENERGY STAR, you need to fill out IRS Form 5695 and submit it with your taxes. You need to save your receipts and the Manufacturer's Certification Statement for your records. (A Manufacturer’s Certification Statement is a signed statement from the manufacturer certifying that the product or component qualifies for the tax credit.)

 

Please note, not all ENERGY STAR qualified products and homes qualify for a tax credit. For a complete list the products that qualify, visit ENERGY STAR's website.

Our units can be equipped with a desuper heater option which basically takes any excess heat from the unit and uses it to heat your domestic hot water, so the desuperheater will act as a supplemental water heating source. Which is just one more way we here at Terrasource Geothermal can save you money.

Using short-cuts or ‘rules-of-thumb’ typically results in equipment that is incorrectly sized for your home. A contractor should determine the right size for your HVAC equipment by using ACCA/ANSI Manual J or an equivalent sizing calculation tool that takes into account specific information about your home.

 

Homeowners who are interested in sizing calculations can purchase the procedures from Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) or contact a HVAC professional for assistance.

When determining what type loop configuration is best suited for you need to keep in mind several different criteria’s:

1. What type soil do you have?
2. How much land space is required for each type?
3. How many loops are you going to need based on the tonnage of your systems?

 

TERRASource Geothermal Complete do it yourself kits are designed to work with what is known as a closed horizontal loop configuration. A closed loop configuration can be a horizontal straight which consists of 600ft to 750ft runs, a slinky loop which consists of runs of 125 to 135ft or a pond loop which is normally the most efficient and least costly way to go (but keep in mind if a pond loop is something you are considering the pond must be at least 10ft deep and the same size as the dwelling you are trying to heat and cool). If a vertical configuration is your only option Terrasource can supply you with the equipment needed.

TERRASource Geothermal can determine what size heat pump you require by what your heating and cooling loads are or what your BTU requirements are. If you are unsure what these numbers are there are several different ways to determine it. One way is to have a heat loss analysis completed by a certified HVAC technician. Terrasource offers heat loss analysis as a service for a charge. In most cases we suggest looking around on the internet first. there are several different websites you can go to which simply require you to answer a series of questions which in return will determine what your loads are. There are websites which do heat loss analysis for free. Just another way we here at Terrasource add to the savings that geothermal heating and cooling can provide.