Heat Pumps

Air Source

Air source heat pumps (ASHP) are basically a high-efficient central air conditioner with one difference. They also provide extremely low-cost heating for the home or business. ASHPs extract heat from the outside air and the compressor for the system raises the temperature to provide the room heat. An ASHP generally costs more than a central air conditioner, but the extra cost is paid back in a short time due to the lower heating costs of the system. When the temperature drops to about 10 degrees, an ASHP usually can’t maintain the heating requirements of the home so a Warmflo heater and/or oil furnace is often installed to be used during those times.

Ground Source

Ground source heat pumps (GSHP) use the warmth of the earth or water to heat and cool the home or business. There are two types of GSHP systems. The first, an “open loop” system, uses well water that runs through the furnace and the heat from the water is extracted to provide the room heat. The cooler water is then discharged outside the home in a dry bed, pond or creek, but cannot be discharged back into a well. In the summer, the system is reversed to provide high-efficient air conditioning and the heat from the room is put into the water, where it is again discharged outside.

The second type of GSHP system is a “closed loop” system. It uses a special anti-freeze solution that runs through a plastic pipe buried 6 - 10 feet deep in a trench. The earth then provides the “heat” and “cool” for the solution that runs through the furnace. A “closed loop” can also be done through the vertical drilling of holes to a depth of 200 - 300 feet. Because this is more expensive, it is usually only done where there is not enough room to lay pipe horizontally in a trench.