Colony Heating and Air Conditioning- Geothermal Heating & Air Conditioning

Serving Cedar Rapids, Iowa City,

and Eastern Iowa Since 1973.

Call Now: 319-364-4328 - Email

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Geothermal Heating & Air Conditioning

Geothermal heating and cooling systems! How do they work and why are they more efficient?

The first step is to determine the type of field that will work for your location. The size of lot, if there are any trees, all these things come into play when we determine the type of field that will work best for you. There are three most common types of field’s horizontal loops, vertical loops, and pond loops. All will work the same if installed right. Once the field is installed you can plant trees, corn, beans, grass, etc., nothing will be in your way. You won’t even know there is anything out there.

How do the fields work and what does it do?

In the ground loops we put the pipe in the ground and cover it back up with dirt or grout the hole shut if we drill them. In a pond loop we sink the pipe in the pond. The field is one of the most important parts to a geothermal system. Once the pipe is put in the ground or pond and stubbed into the house the field is installed. Now we fill the pipe with freeze protected water and circulate the water through the loops in the ground or pond. The purpose of the ground or pond loop is to put heat into the ground in the summer and take heat out of the ground in the winter.

Tim Stecklein- Manager

Phone: 364-4328 or Email

Brian Miller- Plumbing Manger

Phone: 364-4328 or Email

How does the whole system work?
Now we will set the geothermal unit in your house and hook up the loop field supply and return lines to the unit. The duct work will be run the same way as a conventional system would. Now in the summer the system works by circulating the water through the loops when the unit is running. The water leaving the unit will enter the pipe in the ground at a warm temp as it is circulating through the ground or pond loop it will reject the heat into the ground and come back into the unit at a cooler temp. The cooler water is used to help cool your house. In the winter this cycle just reverses and the water will leave the unit at a cool temp as it enters the ground or pond loop it will start to pick up heat from the ground or pond as it’s circulated through the pipe and will enter the unit at a warmer temp. The warmer water is used to help heat your house. The reason the system is more efficient than a conventional is in the summer you do not have a condenser setting out in the hot weather trying to reject heat from your house into the hot air, instead you are using the nice cool ground or pond temp to reject the heat from your house into. This means the equipment does not need to work near as hard as a conventional system, resulting in better efficiency and longer life. In the winter it is more efficient to use geothermal than gas because the most efficient furnace is 90% to 95% efficient. With geothermal it is over 100% efficient.

How is that! Well for every cent you pay to run your geothermal unit you get three or four cents out of it. Where does the three to four cents come from? The good old ground or pond. Not to mention that it is a lot better for the environment.

Stop by our showroom or contact Tim Stecklein (364-4328 or Email) for more information.

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2224 16th Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404

Phone: 319-364-4328