Geothermal – Tapping the Warmth of Mother Earth.
Even on the coldest winter day in York or Lancaster County, the temperature a few feet underground hovers somewhere between 50 and 55 degrees. That energy is the key to geothermal systems.
WaterFurnace® geothermal comfort systems use that clean, free, consistently available, renewable energy to heat and cool your home the smart way. WaterFurance units don’t rely on expensive, limited fossil fuels which negatively impact our environment. Thanks to energy efficiency ratings of 300 to 500 percent, WaterFurnace systems can save a homeowner up to 70 percent in heating and cooling costs, while helping to protect the environment.
Because of the significant return realized in lowered heating costs, geothermal is ideal for those who plan to stay in their house for a long time. Strine’s can help you make it happen.
How Geothermal Works.
Surprisingly, the temperature below ground (regardless of climate or season) stays fairly consistent all year.
The ground is able to maintain a higher rate of temperature consistency because it absorbs 47% of the sun’s energy (heat) as it hits the Earth’s surface.
Strine’s and WaterFurnace geothermal systems are able to tap into this free energy by installing a loop system of small-diameter, high-density polyethylene underground pipes in your yard. This technology is then used to provide your home with central heating and cooling.
Closed-loop systems circulate a water-based solution through the loop system. Closed-loop systems can be installed horizontally, vertically or in a pond. Open-loop systems use an existing water well or surface water. Whether the system is open or closed, heat is transferred to or from the structure, regardless of outdoor temperature, to provide year-round comfort.
Geothermal Loop Systems.
Horizontal Loops are often used when adequate land surface is available. Depending on geothermal system needs and space available, pipes are placed in trenches that range in length from 100 to 400 feet.
Vertical Loops are the ideal choice when available land surface is limited. Well drilling equipment is used to bore small-diameter holes from 100 to 400, and as much as 600 feet deep.
Pond (Lake) Loops are very economical to install when a large body of water is available for use by the geothermal heating and cooling system. Coils of pipe are simply placed on the bottom of the pond or lake to capture the geothermal energy.
Open loops (Well-Water Systems) use groundwater from a well as a direct energy source. In ideal conditions, where well water is plentiful and low in minerals, an open-loop application can be the most economical type of geothermal system.