ATC Energy Management Heat Pump Specialists

Ground Source (Geothermal) & Air Source Heat Pump Systems

We're trained and certified in all types of heat pump systems including Hallowell Acadia

The future of heating systems in the Northeastern U.S.

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IGSHPA(tm)* Board-Certified Geothermal Installers.

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A Heat Pump is a mechanical device that picks up heat from one place and moves it to another. Your refrigerator is one example of a heat pump.

Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) are electrically-powered systems that use the relatively constant temperature of the soil to provide heating, cooling, and limited hot water for homes and commercial buildings.

Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) extract heat from outdoor air and move it mechanically into an indoor environment using indoor ductwork to transfer the heat. In cooling mode these systems reverse themselves.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both systems.

Both systems have some common features

Both require and use electricity to run.
Both require either electric resistance heat, or some other type of supplemental system (gas or oil boiler, gas furnace) to provide heat power when outside air temps fall into single digits.
Both can be environmentally friendly and economical alternatives if you currently use hot air furnace and ductwork.

Advantages of ground source heat pump systems:

Can be used to provide heat energy for radiant heating (water to water system only)
Can supply limited domestic hot water for bathing with same unit (due to colder groundwater temps in New England this is limited unless you like cool showers!)
Can offer heating and cooling from the same system (must be water to air type)
Can be configured to run using only electricity (supplemental heat is electric unit buiilt in)
Electricity Efficient: Dual Stage Units on market currently have high ratings

Advantages of air source heat pump systems:

Cost effective: One system for heating and cooling using only electricity for most of operating time. No added cost of ground loops needed for Geo/ground source systems
Many options for equipment suppliers, parts and service
Efficient: units on market currently have high ratings that go beyond Energy Star ratings
Easy and cheaper to install in existing buildings to replace oil or gas only hot air furnaces

Disadvantages of air source heat pump systems:

Efficiency relies on proper airflow. May not work well with existing ductwork that is too small or leaky and/or under-insulated
Requires some type of supplemetal heat source in very cold weather. This can either be electric resistance unit built in, a high efficiency gas furnace, or a gas or oil boiler/fancoil.
Air systems only. Can't be used for radiant heating or hot water baseboards
No domestic water heating ability
Low temp heat delivery; in poorly insulated building system may not overcome losses leading to high electric bills and poor comfort

Disadvantages of ground source Geo heat pump systems:

For air systems, efficiency relies on proper airflow. May not work well with existing ductwork that is too small or leaky and/or under-insulated
Requires some type of supplemetal heat source in very cold weather. This can either be electric resistance unit built in, a high efficiency gas furnace, or a gas or oil boiler/fancoil.
Can't be used for hot water baseboards due to low temp of water created oin water to water systems
Low temp heat delivery; in poorly insulated building system may not overcome losses leading to high electric bills and poor comfort
Higher system installation cost due to required ground loops or wells
High installation cost for DX systems due to copper piping in wells and refrigerant
Potential maintenance issues with open loop (well-type) systems due to minerals scaling heat pump heat exchanger(s) leading to system failure

We install closed loop ground source systems for economy and reliability. We use Heat Controller/Comfort Aire Equipment .

Many heat pump systems qualify for a 30% Federal Energy Efficiency Income Tax Credit PLUS Cash rebates of $150 to $750 from major public utilities.

Contact us today for more information or to schedule a field visit.

ATC Energy Management "The Efficiency Experts"

*IGSHPA valid throughout US; State of certification: MA Click here to view certification

Certification listing: (individual) Mark W. Edmonds, ATC Energy Management.

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