Geothermal Heating and Cooling is the most energy –efficient, environmentally clean and cost-effective space conditioning system available according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Harty Mechanical, Inc has been designing and installing geothermal systems since 2000. As one of the pioneer geothermal contractors in our area we have worked hard to educate consumers on the benefits of these systems. With costs of natural resources rising and the supplies being depleted we realize the importance of finding new economical and environmentally friendly ways of heating and cooling our homes and businesses. That’s why we’re dedicated to helping you design a system tailored to your home or business using the latest technology. Our firm is certified by the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) for heat pump installations. We are also active members of the Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium. We can help you design your system using the latest technology. We can offer different systems depending on your needs, desired comfort, space/land conditions and budget.
Ice Rinks
Ice Rinks designed with a conventional refrigeration plant run pumps and fans in a cooling tower to get rid of heat to the air outside. At the same time, electricity and fossil fuels are burned to warm the building and make hot water. Virtually all of the heat taken from the ice in a geothermal rink is used to warm the building, make hot water, melt snow, or even heat the building next door. If it can’t be used, the heat is stored in the earth loop around the building, ready to be used when needed. Instead of spending money to get rid of the heat and then using more energy to warm the building, the geothermal system recycles the heat inside the building. It leaves more of your budget to promote your rink and skating programs and it’s a lot better for the environment. Harty Mechanical, Inc. works with Earth Energy and Ice, LLC to educate arena operators and owners about the benefits of installing a geothermal system in their arena. Not only are these arenas using much less energy, they are providing “free” energy from the ice-making process to melt the snow on the outdoor sidewalks, heat the spectator seats, heat the common areas including locker rooms, provide in-floor heat in the rink perimeter and mezzanine, as well as heating the domestic water.
Residential/Commercial
Harty Mechanical, Inc. teams up with Water Furnace International, Inc. to bring these energy efficient systems into the homes and businesses of our area. We have significant experience and can help you design your system using the latest technology.
Conductivity Testing
Harty Mechanical works with our partner company Earth Energy and Ice, LLC to perform thermal conductivity tests at all potential geothermal sites. A thermal conductivity test determines the thermal conductivity, resting ground temperature and thermal diffusivity of the ground at the well field site. These numbers are used in the design of the ground heat exchanger in order to design an efficient and accurate system.
Geothermal Design
We offer a combined 20 years experience designing geothermal heating and cooling systems. We are able to design geothermal systems for residences, commercial buildings and recreational facilities. We take the total monthly and peak heating/cooling loads of a building as well as the thermal conductivity test results into consideration in order design energy efficient and cost effective geothermal systems.
Geothermal Basics
How does a geothermal heating and cooling system work?
Outdoor temperatures fluctuate with the changing seasons but underground temperatures don't. Four to six feet below the earth's surface, temperatures remain relatively constant year round. A geothermal system, which typically consists of an indoor unit and a buried earth loop, capitalizes on these constant temperatures to provide "free" energy. In winter, fluid circulating through the system's earth loop absorbs stored heat and carries it indoors. The indoor unit compresses the heat to a higher temperature and distributes it throughout the building. In summer, the system reverses, pulling heat from the building, carrying it through the earth loop and depositing it in the cooler earth.
What makes a geothermal system different form ordinary systems?
Unlike ordinary systems, geothermal systems do not burn fossil fuels to generate heat; they simply transfer heat to and from the earth to provide a more efficient, affordable and environmentally friendly method of heating and cooling. Typically, electric power is used only to the unit's fan, compressor and pump.
What are the components of a geothermal system?
The three main parts consist of the heat-pump unit, the liquid heat-exchange medium (open or closed loop), and the air-delivery system (ductwork).
How efficient is a geothermal system?
A geothermal system is three to four times more efficient than the most efficient ordinary system. Because geothermal systems do not burn fossil fuels to make heat, they provide three to four units of energy for every one unit used to power the system.
Do geothermal systems require much maintenance?
No. Geothermal systems are virtually maintenance free. When installed properly, the buried loop will last for generations. The other half of the operation - the unit's fan, compressor and pump - is housed indoors, protected from the harsh weather conditions. Usually, periodic checks and filter changes are the only required maintenance.
What does geothermal mean to the environment?
Geothermal systems work with nature, not against it. They emit no greenhouse gases, which have been linked to global warming, acid rain and other environmental hazards.
Does a geothermal system heat and cool?
One thing that makes a geothermal heat pump so versatile is its ability to be a heating and cooling system in one. With a simple flick of a switch on your indoor thermostat, you can change from one mode to another. In the cooling mode, a geothermal heat pump takes heat from indoors and transfers it to the cooler earth through either groundwater or an underground earth loop system. In the heating mode, the process is reversed.
Can a geothermal system also heat water?
Yes. Some geothermal heat pumps can provide all of your hot water needs on demand at the same high efficiencies as the heating/cooling cycles. An option called a desuperheater can be added to most heat pumps. It will provide significant savings by heating water before it enters your hot water tank.
Contact Us
Harty Mechanical, Inc.
1600 1 St Avenue NE PO Box 277
Austin, MN 55912
Phone 507.437.8201
Fax 507.437.8378