Now it’s 62☏ inside and your thermostat is set to 70☏. As a result, thermostat setback forces the geothermal system to frequently rely on expensive supplemental systems, unintentionally and ironically increasing the average cost of operation.Ī geothermal system will run most efficiently when the thermostat is kept at a single temperature set point throughout the day. In order to recover from a setback period, the strained geothermal system will likely need assistance from a supplemental heat source like an electric resistance heater. Unlike a furnace, a geothermal system is carefully designed to meet a home’s precise heating and cooling needs. This practice is detrimental, however, when operating a geothermal system. The oversized equipment, along with its extra capacity, is easily able to recover from any temperature setback and quickly warm the space upon the homeowner’s return. This practice, known as thermostat setback, often saves money and energy when operating a fossil fuel furnace.Ī traditional heating system is typically oversized to meet the needs of the conditioned space, but unlike heat pumps, this doesn’t create a significant decrease in its operating efficiency. Many homeowners are accustomed to adjusting their thermostat if they plan to be away from the house or asleep. Thermostat use Increasing and Decreasing The Thermostat In contrast, a tightly-insulated home acts as a protective barrier, keeping hot air inside when it’s cold and hot air outside when it’s warm, saving homeowners on average up to 20% on their home’s heating and cooling costs. If a home is leaky and poorly insulated, its HVAC system will work extra hard to replace the escaped hot air when it’s cold and remove the invasive hot air when it’s warm. In addition, air can inadvertently enter and escape through a home’s cracks, crevices, and openings, especially around doors and window frames. During the summer, heat flows from the warmer outdoors into the cooler indoors. Heat naturally flows in one direction- from warmer spaces to cooler ones until no temperature difference exists.ĭuring the winter, heat moves directly from heated living spaces to adjacent unheated areas and indirectly through walls, floors, and ceilings. Insulation is any material used to fill the spaces in your home to reduce and resist unwanted heat flow. The greater a home’s square footage, the more energy that’s required to properly heat and cool. No combustion (fire!) within the unit means no flame related wear-and-tear and more moderate temperatures within the equipment, protecting from internal extremes. As a result, geothermal systems aren’t subject to wind or weather and have even been called storm-proof.īut that’s not the only reason why geothermal systems last a long time. Geothermal equipment is protected both indoors and deep in the ground. Why do geothermal systems have longer lifespans than conventional equipment? On average, conventional furnaces last anywhere between 15 and 20 years, while central air conditioners last 10 to 15 years.Īlternatively, geothermal heat pumps typically last 20 to 25 years, and the ground loops installed in the yard can last more than 50 years (even up to 100!). How long do geothermal systems last compared to conventional equipment? The pipes are made of an inert and extremely durable material-the ground loop will probably outlast your home. The ground loop itself is sealed and requires no maintenance. Electric radiant floors may also make sense for home additions if extending the heating system into the new space would be impractical.Every five years: have a qualified service technician perform a basic inspection of the system. This saves a considerable amount of money compared to heating at peak electric rates during the day. In that case, the heat stored in it will keep the house comfortable for eight to ten hours without any further electrical input, mainly when daytime temperatures are significantly warmer than nighttime temperatures. Suppose the floor’s thermal mass is large enough. Time-of-use rates allow you to “charge” the concrete floor with heat during off-peak hours (approximately 9 p.m. Because of the relatively high cost of electricity, electric radiant floors are usually only cost-effective if they include a significant thermal mass such as a thick concrete floor and your electric utility company offers time-of-use rates. Systems that feature electrical matting mounted on the subfloor below a floor covering such as tile are also available. Electric radiant floors typically consist of electric heating cables built into the floor.
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