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HEATING
& COOLING
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Click
on picture for larger view |
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This is a spring
pond covered by watercress. The springwater is used for
our geo-thermal heating and air conditioning system |
Our
house's heating and cooling system is geothermal. The system
routes 48 degree fresh spring water through a heat pump which extracts
heat from the water for winter heating and uses the cool water
temperature for summer cooling. The system is energy efficient
since it consumes only 1/3rd the energy of a conventional electric home
heating system and even less energy for air conditioning.
Our
thermostat can be set lower at 68 degrees in winter because the heat is
radiant heat coming from the floor. In the spring and fall, heat
is provided by forced air because the need for heat is only
intermittent. The two heating systems provide a more efficient use
of electricity for different seasons.
Domestic hot
water is a byproduct of the geo-thermal system which provides hot water
for the water heater using one-third the energy compared to a standard
water heater. Also, the hot water temperature is maintained at a
low 120 degrees to conserve energy.
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