Homeowners who are tired of watching heating oil prices increase with every international crisis are looking for homegrown energy sources. Geothermal in Chattanooga TN is becoming a popular alternative. This type of heating and cooling system uses the earth’s natural temperature as its source. While the atmosphere can experience wide swings in temperature, the earth is much more stable. It remains warmer than the atmosphere during the winter. When summer arrives, it is cooler. It’s not necessary to excavate deeply into the ground to utilize this energy. Geothermal systems as shallow as four feet can heat and cool a home.
There are several ways a Geothermal in Chattanooga TN, system can be configured. The best design for any individual system depends on the size of the home and the lot. Geothermal systems are often placed in a series of trenches. If it is a small yard, the tubing can be coiled to provide more area to absorb the energy. The tubing forms a continuous loop that is called a heat exchanger. The tubes are filled with water or a combination of water and anti-freeze. As the solution travels through the tubes in the winter, it absorbs the earth’s energy. It is then brought into the home where a heat pump increases its temperature and then distributes it throughout the home. Because the heating system receives warmer air from the ground, it doesn’t have to use as much energy to keep the home a comfortable temperature. During the summer, the same strategy brings cooler air into the home.
It’s not just small homes that can use geothermal heating and cooling. Large apartment complexes and institutional users like hospitals and schools can also minimize their energy costs with a geothermal system. However, it would be impossible to have enough land area for enough horizontal coils to heat large buildings. In this case, the coils are placed into the earth in a vertical manner. Four-inch holes that are placed 20 feet apart contain the coils. These vertical shafts vary from 100 to 400 feet deep. They function in the same way that the horizontal coils do. The coils can also be placed in a pond to capture that energy. This is the most convenient and cost-efficient method because no excavation is required. Consumers can to learn how geothermal heating could help them.
