Ride the Wave of Geothermal Heating and Cooling!
What exciting times we in the HVAC community live in. As we detailed in our last post, the increased demand in weatherization is bringing in new business for HVAC companies across the country. While it is an excellent idea for those going through HVAC training to educate themselves on the process of weatherization, it isn’t the only thing that those seeking HVAC jobs would be wise to brush up on. The demand for geothermal heating and cooling is growing by leaps and bounds, so make sure you’re a member of the “in” crowd for this HVAC craze.
What is Geothermal Heating and Cooling?
Geothermal heating and cooling is built upon one “bedrock” principle- if the Earth’s crust is always emitting a relatively constant temperature of about 55 degrees, why not use that energy to our advantage. It’s free energy right? While scientists are struggling to come up with ways to harness geothermal energy (it is by far the least utilized energy source known to man), the HVAC community hasn’t waited around to develop a geothermal process of their own.
Geothermal heating and cooling systems require excavating a large section of the earth (the size of a large backyard is fine), and burying a network of piping known as a thermal loop. These pipes are filled with fluid and are then either cooled or heated by the earth’s geothermal energy, depending on the season. The result is a very energy-efficient (and cheap) HVAC system for your building.
Why Now?
Geothermal heating and cooling is not a very new process. In fact, human beings have been using geothermal processes to keep them warm since the cavemen. But there are 3 key reasons why the geothermal craze is really taking off now:
- The Drive for Cleaner Energy- The influence of green initiatives and more eco-friendliness has caused people to rethink the way they want to heat their buildings. Because geothermal energy produces drastically less pollution than other HVAC systems, people are embracing geothermal energy with open arms.
- The Stimulus- The federal government has decided to offer big tax cuts and rebates for those who decide to install geothermal HVAC systems into their buildings. The geothermal installation process can be very costly, but now with these rebates many building developers and homeowners are now able to afford what they couldn’t before. The result is a win-win: more HVAC jobs and projects to keep people working, and a greener future for the HVAC industry.
- Long-Term Benefits: While it is usually more expensive to install a geothermal HVAC system than its alternatives, people are starting to realize that you save a great deal of money in the long term. That’s because you don’t have to spend nearly as much money on the energy required to heat or cool your home. So as long as a person has an eye on long-term finances, geothermal HVAC systems are clearly the wisest choice.
The ever evolving HVAC industry always requires its professionals to stay current with changing demand. So if you’re looking for HVAC jobs or going through HVAC training, make sure you’re in the know on geothermal heating and cooling systems.
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