Ground Loops in Manhattan, Kansas, Geothermal Applications

You’ve got to have a new heating and cooling system. Maybe you’re partial to the idea of a new Geothermal HVAC. Whatever the situation, you probably want to know a little bit more about how geothermal works.

Geothermal HVACs variously cool and heat your home by extracting ground temperature. This works because of an underground system called a geothermal ground loop.

Ground loops are basically just a series of pipes buried in the earth. There are a few basic sorts of ground loop systems that can be used for heating and cooling most residential and commercial buildings.

The way it works is, antifreeze fluid travels through these plastic pipes to get heat effectively and efficiently up to a heat pump in your house.

There are four different kinds of ground loops: Open Loop, Pond Loop, Horizontal Loop and Vertical Loop. These are divvied up into two categories categories: either they’re open loop systems or closed loop systems. The best system for you is determined by your structure and the property on which it sits. Residential systems mostly use vertical or horizontal loops.

Below are further explanations of each sort of ground loop.

Closed systems, which consist of vertical, horizontal, and pond loops, continuously push water through them.

Vertical ground loops are the most common type used residentially because, unlike horizontal loops, they don’t require a significant amount of space. They’re positioned by drilling tight-diameter holes in the ground to a depth of 100-400 feet. Then pipes are placed into the holes and connected under ground to form the vertical loop. Next, extra pipes are attached that channel fluid to the indoor system to transfer the desired temperature from the ground.

A horizontal system requires a lot more space but usually costs less since it uses only 2 straight pipes placed 6 inches in the ground within an area of ¼ to ¾ acre.

If you’re thinking of getting a pond loop system, you plainly must be near a pond, lake, pond, or well. Coils are installed vertically and attached to the bottom of the water source. Water is then transported through more pipes beneath the earth to a pump, where the heat is withdrawn and cool water is put back into the pond. However, in order for this system to work, the water can in no way be be acidic or else pipes will erode and filters will need replacing often.

The essential difference between open and closed looped systems is the open loop’s need for an adequate source of groundwater, like a well or pond. From there, it directly pumps water into the heat pump unit for use in heating and cooling your dwelling or other structure.

There are two ways to dispose of used water: through surface drainage or water re-injection. In returning the water back to the earth, it’s worth noting that there is no pollution generated. The only difference in water that’s processed through a geothermal heat pump is a negligible change in temperature.