Geothermal Heat Pump Installation, Repair and Service in Eastern North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions
About Geothermal Systems

How does a geothermal system work?

A geothermal heat pump exchanges heat with the ground through a buried loop field instead of with the outdoor air. Ground temperature a few feet down stays far more stable than air temperature through the year, so the system is not fighting a 95 degree afternoon in August or a cold snap in January. The indoor equipment works much like a conventional heat pump.

Can a geothermal system be installed at any property?

No, and that is the honest answer. Geothermal needs enough land, and suitable ground conditions, for the loop field. Site assessment comes first and determines whether a horizontal or vertical loop makes sense, or whether the property is simply not a candidate. We will tell you before you have spent anything.

How much maintenance does a geothermal system need?

Less than a conventional system in one important respect: the loop field is buried and has no moving parts exposed to weather, so there is no outdoor coil corroding in the rain. The indoor equipment still needs annual attention on filters, the blower, controls and the loop pressure and flow.

Are geothermal repairs more complicated than standard HVAC repairs?

The indoor equipment is broadly familiar to any competent HVAC technician. What is different is the ground loop, the circulating pumps and the flow and pressure diagnostics that go with them, which is why geothermal work should go to technicians who actually service these systems. Ours are specialized in geothermal technology.

If your property is not a geothermal candidate, an air-source heat pump is the closest equivalent and is what most homes in this area run. Where natural gas is available, a gas furnace paired with central air conditioning is the other common configuration.