Geothermal Services in Cincinnati & Kenwood, OH
If you are looking for an environmentally friendly way to heat and cool your home, look no further — geothermal is the greenest option available! Geothermal systems are extremely energy efficient and use clean, natural energy to keep your Cincinnati, OH area home comfortable, with average efficiencies between 300 and 600 percent. Don’t just take our word for it; the facts on geothermal are very convincing:
- Using geothermal energy offers higher efficiencies and is more cost-effective than conventional heating and cooling systems, according to the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
- The Environmental Protection Agency determined that geothermal is the most environmentally friendly option for home heating and cooling.
- Geothermal systems provide energy that is natural, unending, and can be used anywhere.
- Federal, state, and local programs offer incentives to homeowners who install these high-efficiency systems, which can increase energy savings.
- Geothermal systems are quiet, have a long service life, and require little maintenance.
Geothermal systems use the constant, naturally occurring warmth below ground as an energy source for heating your Cincinnati area home. Even on the coldest of days, the constant temperature below ground stays between 45°F and 75°F. These temperatures are plenty warm enough to create the heat you need.
Geothermal systems provide both heating and cooling. In the winter, the warm temperatures below ground are brought up to the home and used as heating energy. In the summer, the geothermal system extracts heat from indoors and deposits it back into the earth to cool your home. Geothermal systems can also be configured to provide hot water for homes.
To learn more about geothermal services or to schedule an appointment in the Cincinnati, Ohio area, get in contact with Nelson Comfort today.
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7 Series - 700A11 The ultimate in luxury featuring variable capacity efficiency. | 5 Series - 500A11 Upscale comfort with dual capacity efficiency. | 3 Series - 300A11 A smart value utilizing dual capacity efficiency. | |
Efficiency closed earth loop | 5.1 - 5.3 COP | 3.7 - 4.4 COP 4.1 - 4.8 COP | 3.7 - 4.1 COP |
Compressor | Variable capacity scroll | Scroll | Scroll |
Blower | ECM variable speed | ECM variable speed | ECM 5-speed |
Stages | Variable capacity heat*, | 2 Heat*, 1 cool 3 Heat*, 2 cool | 3 Heat*, 2 cool |
Zone | IntelliZone2 | IntelliZone2 | IntelliZone2 24V |
Control |
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Cabinet |
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Hot Water | Optional | Optional | Optional |
Auxiliary | Optional | Optional | Optional |
Air Coil | Coated | Coated | All-Aluminum |
Refrigerant | R-410A | R-410A | R-410A |
Sizes | 3 thru 5 ton | 2 thru 6 ton single speed (7 sizes) | 2 thru 6 ton dual capacity (5 sizes) |
Warranty | 10 year parts, 5 year labor allowance on internal parts 5 year parts, 5 year labor allowance on accessories 10 year parts, 10 year labor allowance on internal parts available for buy-up | 0 year parts, 5 year labor allowance on internal parts 5 year parts, 5 year labor allowance on accessories 10 year parts, 10 year labor allowance on internal parts available for buy-up | 5 year parts, 5 year labor allowance on refrigeration components 2 year parts, 2 year labor allowance on all other parts and accessories 5 year all parts and labor available for buy-up |
ENERGY STAR Rated |
Yes All Sizes |
Yes All Sizes except NS070 with PSC |
Yes All Sizes |
Types of Geothermal Loops For Kenwood, Montgomery & Mason Homes
Geothermal heating and cooling systems use a geothermal heat pump and a ground loop to heat and cool your Cincinnati, OH area home. The ground loop, sometimes called an earth loop, is a network of fluid-filled piping that is installed vertically or horizontally below ground on your property. It may also be tied to a pond or other water source if available. The ground loop absorbs the below-ground energy and transports it to the heat pump. The heat pump provides any additional heating necessary and then distributes the heat to your living spaces. In cooling mode, geothermal heat pumps extract heat from the home and sends it into the ground loop to be deposited back into the earth.
There are a variety of loop options for consumers when it comes to installing their new geothermal system. The exterior loop of a geothermal heating and cooling system transfers the energy to and from the home depending on if the geothermal unit is in cooling or heating mode. There are several factors that go into determining which type of loop is best for your geothermal system. The installer must consider the space available, the geographical makeup of the land, and how deep the water source is to the surface for some applications.
Closed Loop Systems – Vertical
A vertical closed loop requires a smaller amount of land area in comparison to a horizontal loop. Instead of being installed in shallow trenches horizontally, deep wells are dug so that the loop can extend 100 to 400 feet underground. The wells are typically spread about 20 feet apart. Within each well, two sections of piping are placed and joined with a U-bend at the bottom, forming a loop. Each vertical loop is connected to a section of horizontal piping which runs into the building, connecting the ground loop with the heat pump.
A closed loop vertical geothermal ground loop is a configuration used in many circumstances. It requires a much smaller land area for installation, making it ideal for smaller properties and for large commercial facilities which do not have the land area available for a horizontal loop. A vertical loop can also be installed in areas where soil is too shallow for trenching. Since less land area is necessary for installation, choosing a vertical loop can minimize damage to landscaping.
Closed Loop Systems – Horizontal
Installing a horizontal closed loop can only be done if a sufficient amount of land is available. To install the ground loop, trenches are dug a minimum of four feet into the ground for placement of the pipes. Two common horizontal closed loop configurations are used; pipes can be placed in a deeper trench with one installed a few feet above the other, or pipes can be placed side-by-side in a wider trench. The Slinky™ is a horizontal closed loop configuration that allows more piping to be installed in a shorter trench, with a coiled section of pipe installed below a straight section, connected at the end. This method can be used to facilitate horizontal loop installation in smaller areas and to reduce installation costs associated with trenching.
Horizontal ground loops are commonly used in residential applications, as they are typically the most cost-effective. They are used for applications that have plenty of land area available, such as the case in most new home construction. To install a horizontal ground loop, more surface area must be disturbed, compared to installing a vertical closed loop. While installation teams take great care not to damage landscaping, sometimes it is necessary when this ground loop configuration is used.
Closed Loop Systems – Pond / Lake
A pond closed loop can be installed in an on-site body of water, such as a pond or lake. An underground supply line is ran from the home or building into the water source. A coiled section of piping is installed below the water’s surface. The loop must be placed at least eight feet below the surface of the water to protect it from freezing.
Installing a pond closed loop may offer the lowest installation costs. Far less trenching is necessary to install the ground loop, reducing costs as well as disruption to landscaping and other features above the earth. To be considered for ground loop installation, a body of water must meet certain requirements. It must meet the minimum quality, depth, and volume criteria necessary to facilitate the geothermal heating and cooling of the home or business.
Open Loop System
A well water open loop system utilizes well or surface water as the heat exchange fluid instead of the antifreeze solution used in a closed loop system. Piping is installed open-ended into wells on the property. Water flows through the piping into the home or business for heating or cooling and flows out of structure into another well, a recharge well, or is discharged at the earth’s surface.
An open loop system is only practical in applications which have the necessary amount of clean water available to provide for the home or business’ heating and cooling needs. As groundwater discharge is a component of this configuration, local codes and environmental regulations must be met.
Contact Nelson Comfort for Geothermal Heating and Cooling Services
Nelson Comfort provides homes in Cincinnati, OH and the surrounding areas with reliable geothermal heating and cooling services. Our NATE-certified technicians know that you want to keep your family safe and comfortable all year long, and there’s no better system to do so than geothermal systems. Get in contact with us today to receive more information on the benefits of a geothermal system, or to schedule geothermal system installation services.