Ground Loops in Columbus, Ohio, Geothermal Applications

You’ve finally gotten, or are thinking about getting, a 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 bit more about how such a system works.

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

Ground loops are essentially just an underground pipe system. Several basic types of geothermal loop systems are used for heating and cooling ordinary residential and commercial]26] buildings.

The way it works is, antifreeze fluid flows through the pipes to transfer heat effectively and efficiently up to a heat pump in your house.

Typically used are four different types of loops: Open Loop, Pond Loop, Horizontal Loop and Vertical Loop. All four are split into two distinct categories: either they’re open loop systems or closed loop systems. The right system for your home is determined by the specific building and the environment surrounding it. Residential systems mostly use vertical or horizontal loops.

Below are further explanations of each type of ground loop.

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

Vertical ground loops are the most common type used residentially because, unlike horizontal loops, they don’t have to have much of space. They’re set in place by drilling small-diameter holes in the ground that go 100-400 feet deep. Then pipes are placed into the holes and connected below the ground to form the vertical loop. Next, more pipes are attached that carry fluid to the indoor system to transfer the desired temperature from the ground.

A horizontal system needs a lot more space but typically costs less considering it uses 2 straight pipes set 6 inches down in the ground over an area of ¼ to ¾ acre.

If you want a pond loop system, it should be evident that you 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 moved through more pipes beneath the earth to a pump, where the heat is pulled out and cool water is reintroduced to the pond. Nevertheless, in order for this system to work, the water can in no way be be acidic or else pipes will corrode and filters will need to be replaced often.

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

Typically, used water is disposed off in either of these ways: through surface drainage or water re-injection. In returning the water back to the earth, it is crucial to note that there’s no pollution. The only difference in water that’s processed through a geothermal heat pump is a minute change in temperature.