THE GEOTHERMAL CONCEPT

CLIMATEMASTER

A HOMEOWNERS GUIDE TO GEOTHERMAL HEATING AND COOLING
COMFORT SYSTEMS
2
For m ore than 50 years C lim ateM aster has serviced the
needs of the com m ercial and residential construction
industry w orldw ide w ith the m ost com prehensive line
of w ater source and geotherm al heat pum ps available
anyw here.
C lim ateM asters state of the art facilities in O klahom a
C ity, O kla., re ects the com panys com m itm ent to its
custom ers, em ployees and products. The com pany stresses
quality in its m odern 610,000 square foot facilities
through extensive quality control program s.
A total com m itm ent to excellence is w hy C lim ateM aster
is the w orlds leader in design and m anufacture of w ater
source and geotherm al heat pum ps. W e build quality heat
pum ps for life... the life of buildings and the people w ho
use them .
Visit us at clim atem aster.com to learn m ore about
geotherm al heating and cooling system s.
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The Global Leader
3
H om eow ners across N orth A m erica are searching for better w ays to get m ore out of their energy dollar.
M any have found that the geotherm al heat pum p can help. G eotherm al energy not only costs less to
operate than any other heating and cooling system , but it also helps preserve our natural resources and
lessens our dependency on fossil fuels.
This brochure has been developed as a guide to introduce you to geotherm al technology. U sing a
question and answ er form at, w eve tried to provide you w ith the m ost popular topics that have been
requested by consum ers.
Table of Contents:
W hat is a geotherm al heat pum p and how does it w ork? 4
H ow is a geotherm al heat pum p like a refrigerator? 5
C losed-loop system s 6
Vertical and horizontal loop installation exam ples 6
Pond loop installation exam ple 7
O pen-loop system s 8
G roundw ater loop installation exam ple 8
Parts of the system 9
Indoor split unit installation exam ple 9
Packaged unit installation exam ple 10
O utdoor split/dual fuel installation exam ple 10
W hat are the m ajor bene ts? 11
Q uestions you should ask about a new heating and cooling system 12
G lossary 13
4
Q: What i s a geothermal heat pump?
A: A geotherm al or ground-sourceheat pum p is an electrically pow ered
device that uses the natural heat storage ability of the earth and/or the
earths groundw ater to heat and cool your hom e or business.
Q: How does i t work?
A: Like any type of heat pum p, it sim ply m oves heat energy form one place
to another. Your refrigerator w orks using the sam e scienti c principle. (See
H ow is a geotherm al heat pum p like a refrigerator?on page 6.) By
using refrigeration, the geotherm al heat pum p rem oves heat energy stored
in the earth and/ or the earths groundw ater and transfers it to the hom e.
Q: How i s heat transferred between the earth and the home?
A: The earth has the ability to absorb and store heat energy. To use that
stored energy, heat is extracted from the earth through a liquid m edium
(w ater or an anti-freeze solution) and is pum ped to the heat pum p heat
exchanger. There, the heat is used to heat your hom e. In sum m er the
process is reversed and indoor heat is extracted from your hom e and
transferred to the earth through the liquid.
Q: You menti oned heati ng and cooli ng. Does i t do both?
A: O ne of the things that m akes a heat pum p so versatile is its ability to be
a heating and cooling system in one. You can change from one m ode
to another w ith a sim ple ick of a sw itch on your indoor therm ostat. Plus, a
geotherm al heat pum p can assist in heating hot w ater year-round.
Q: Do I need separate ground loops for heati ng and cooli ng?
A: N o. The sam e loop w orks for both. All that happens w hen changing from heating to cooling, or vise versa, is that
the ow of heat is reversed inside the unit.
Q: What types of loops are avai lable?
A: There are tw o m ain types: open and closed. Both of these loops w ill be addressed later in the brochure.
Q: Does the underground pi pe
system really work?
A: The buried pipe, or ground
loop, is the biggest technical
advancem ent in heat pum p
technology to date. The idea
to bury pipe in the ground to
gather heat energy began in
the 1940s. But its only been
in the last tw enty- ve years
that new heat pum p designs
and im proved pipe m aterials
have been com bined to m ake
geotherm al heat pum ps the
m ost ef cient heating and
cooling system s available.
What is a Geothermal Heat Pump and how does it work?
Tranquility

30 Vertical G eotherm al
H eat Pum p w ith EarthPure

Zero O zone D epletion Refrigerant
5
How is a geothermal heat pump like a refrigerator?
Like a refrigerator, a geotherm al heat pum p sim ply transfers heat from one place to another. W hen a refrigerator
is operating, heat is being carried aw ay from the inside food storage area to the outside, your kitchen. Therefore,
cooling is not being added to the inside; heat is being taken out.
To understand the operation of a geotherm al heat pum p, it helps to understand how a refrigerator w orks. A refrigerator
uses a refrigeration circuit w ith four m ain com ponents, a com pressor (1), a condenser (2), an expansion device (3),
and an evaporator (4). Refrigerant (som etim es referred to by the brand nam e Freon) is pum ped through the circuit to
transfer heat from the inside of the refrigerator to the outside.
The com pressor (1) is the pum p. It also pressurizes the refrigerant gas. Since tem perature and pressure are directly
related, as the pressure increases, the tem perature increases. The high tem perature/high pressure gas ow s from the
com pressor to the condenser (2). The cooler air in the kitchen (relative to the tem perature of the refrigerant, 150 to
180F [65 to 85C ]) causes the refrigerant to condense into a liquid. W hen tw o surfaces at different tem peratures
touch (or are very near separated only by tubing), the hotter surface cools and the cooler surface w arm s. This is a
law of physics called the second law of therm odynam ics. The condenser therefore releases heat to the kitchen.
The next step in the process involves the expansion device (3). The expansion device is a sm all ori ce that the
refrigerant is forced through. The sm all hole creates a pressure differential betw een the tw o sides of the device. Think
of an expansion device like a dam on a river w ith a hole in the dam . The w ater leaking through the hole is at a low
pressure on the dow nstream side; the w ater on the other side (being held back by the dam ) is at a high pressure.
O nce again, the pressure/tem perature relationship (low er pressure/low er tem perature) creates a cold, low pressure
liquid refrigerant that gets fed to the evaporator (4).
As w arm air inside the refrigerator (relative to the very cold tem perature of the refrigerant) passes through the
evaporator coil (4), the hotter surface (air inside the refrigerator) gets cooler and the cooler surface (refrigerant in
the evaporator (4) tubing) gets w arm er. The liquid refrigerant evaporates back into gas form , and the cycle starts
over again as the refrigerant enters the com pressor (1). The evaporator therefore absorbs heat from the inside of the
refrigerator, w hich keeps the food cold.
An air conditioner or refrigerator transfers heat in only one direction. A heat pum p can transfer heat in tw o directions,
thereby heating or cooling the space. M ost heat pum ps heat or cool the air. Som e heat pum ps heat or chill w ater. An
additional com ponent, a reversing valve, is added to a heat pum p,
w hich allow s the refrigerant to change direction, allow ing the
space that w as being cooled to be heated.
A geotherm al heat pum p has a com pressor, a condenser, an
expansion device, and an evaporator like a refrigerator, but also
includes a reversing valve to allow both heating and cooling. The
big difference betw een a refrigerator or traditional air conditioner
and a geotherm al heat pum p is the w ay heat is transferred. A
geotherm al heat pum p transfers heat betw een the refrigerant circuit
and the ground instead of betw een the refrigerant circuit and the
air. The ground is a m uch m ilder heat source, since the tem perature
changes very little over the course of the year. The outside air
tem perature, how ever, varies signi cantly over the year, m aking a
geotherm al heat pum p m uch m ore energy ef cient than a traditional
air conditioner or heat pum p. A geotherm al heat pum p com pressor
also operates at low er pressures because of the m ilder heat source/
heat sink (the ground), helping provide longer life expectancies.
A geotherm al heat pum p is a like a refrigerator in m any w ays.
Sim ple refrigerator technology coupled w ith the stable tem perature
of the Earth provides quiet, reliable, and energy ef cient heating
and cooling system s for todays discerning hom eow ners.
4
2
3
COLD
HOT
1
Front
6
Q: What i s a closed-loop system?
A: The term closed-loopis used to describe
a geotherm al heat pum p system that
uses a continuous loop of special buried
plastic pipe as a heat exchanger. The
pipe is connected to the indoor heat
pum p to form a sealed, underground
loop through w hich w ater or an anti-
freeze solution - depending on w here you
live - is circulated. U nlike an open-loop
system that consum es w ater from a w ell,
a closed-loop system recirculates its heat
transferring solution in pressurized pipe.
Q: Where can thi s loop be located?
A: That depends on land availability and
terrain. C losed-loops are trenched
horizontally in yards adjacent to the hom e
if the yard is large enough. O r, for sm aller
yards, the loops can be installed vertically
using a drill rig, m uch like a w ater w ell installation.
Q: How deep and long wi ll my hori zontal trenches be?
A: Trenches are norm ally four to six feet deep [1.2 - 1.8 m eters]. O ne of the advantages of a horizontal loop system
is being able to lay the trenches according to the shape of the land. As a rule of thum b, 125 - 300 feet of trench
are required per ton of heat pum p capacity [11 - 27 m eters per kW of capacity].
Q: How many pi pes are i n a trench?
A: Anyw here from 1 to 6 pipes per trench m ay be used, depending upon the optim al design for the yard. M ore pipe
per trench shortens the total am ount of trench required.
Q: What i f I don t have enough room for a hori zontal loop?
A: C losed-loop system s can also be vertical. H oles are bored to about 150 - 300 feet per ton of heat pum p capacity
[13 - 27 m eters per kW of capacity]. U -shaped loops of pipe are inserted in the holes. The holes are then back-
lled w ith a sealing solution (grouting m aterial).
Geothermal heat pumps: closed-loop systems
An exam ple of a horizontal loop installation
An exam ple of a vertical loop installation
Q: How long wi ll the loop pi pe last?
A: C losed-loop system s should only be installed
using the appropriate high-density polyethylene
pipe. Properly installed, these pipes w ill last over
50 years. They are inert to chem icals norm ally
found in soil and have good heat conducting
properties. PVC pipe should not be used under
any circum stances.
Q: Can I i nstall an earth loop myself?
A: Its not recom m ended. In addition to therm al
fusion of the pipe, good pipe-to-soil contact is
very im portant for successful loop operation.
N onprofessional installations m ay result in less
than optim um heat pum p perform ance.
7
Q: How are the buri ed pi pe secti ons of
the loop j oi ned?
A: The only acceptable m ethod to connect
pipe sections is by therm al fusion. Pipe
connections are heated and fused
together to form a joint stronger than
the original pipe. M echanical joining
of underground pipe for an earth loop
is never an accepted practice. The use
of barbed ttings, clam ps and glued
joints is certain to result in loop failure
due to leaks.
Q: Wi ll an earth loop affect my lawn or
landscape?
A: N o. Research has proven that loops
have no adverse effect on grass,
trees or shrubs. M ost horizontal loop
installations use trenches about 3 feet
[1 m eter] or less w ide. This, of course, w ill leave tem porary bare areas that can be restored w ith grass seed or
sod. Vertical loops require little space and result in m inim al law n dam age.
Q: Can I reclai m heat from my septi c system di sposal eld?
A: N o. D epending upon your geographic location, an earth loop w ill reach tem peratures below freezing during
extrem e conditions and m ay freeze your septic system . Such usage is banned in m any areas.
Q: If the loop falls below freezi ng, wi ll i t hurt the system?
A: N o. The antifreeze solution used in loops that operate at low tem peratures w ill keep it from freezing dow n to about 15F
[-9C ] fluid tem perature. In the U .S. and C anada, three types of antifreeze solution are acceptable: propylene glycol,
m ethyl alcohol, and ethyl alcohol. Som e states/provinces m ay require one type over another.
Q: I have a pond near my home. Can I put a loop i n i t?
A: Yes, if its deep enough and large enough. A m inim um of 8 - 10 feet [2.5 - 3 m eters] in depth at its low est level
during the year is needed for a pond to be considered. In pond loops, polyethylene pipe m ust be used. G enerally,
a m inim um of 1/2 acre [0.2 hectare] pond is required to provide adequate surface area for heat transfer.
An exam ple of a pond loop installation
8
Q: What i s an open-loop system?
A: The term O pen-Loopis com m only
used to describe a geotherm al heat
pum p system that uses groundw ater
from a conventional w ell as a heat
source in w inter and a heat sink in
sum m er. The groundw ater is pum ped
through the heat pum p w here heat
is extracted (in w inter) or rejected (in
sum m er) then the w ater is disposed
of in an appropriate m anner. Since
groundw ater is a relatively constant
tem perature year-round, it is an
excellent heat source/heat sink.
Q: What do I do wi th the di scharge
water?
A: There are a num ber of w ays to dispose
of w ater after it has passed through the
heat pum p. The open discharge m ethod
is the easiest and least expensive. O pen
discharge sim ply involves releasing the w ater into a stream , river, lake, pond, ditch or drainage tile. O bviously,
one of these alternatives m ust be readily available and m ust possess the capacity to accept the am ount of w ater
used by the heat pum p before open discharge is feasible.
A second m eans of w ater discharge is the return w ell. A return w ell is a second w ell bore that returns the w ater
to the ground aquifer. A return w ell m ust have enough capacity to dispose of the w ater passed through the heat
pum p. A new return w ell should be installed by a quali ed w ell driller. Likew ise, a professional should test the
capacity of an existing w ell before it is used as a return.
Q: How much groundwater does an open-loop system need?
A: G eotherm al heat pum ps used in open-loop system s need differing am ounts of w ater depending on the size of
the unit. The w ater requirem ent of a speci c m odel is usually expressed in gallons per m inute (l/s) and is listed
in the speci cations for that unit. Your heating and cooling contractor should be able to provide this inform ation.
G enerally, the average system w ill use 6-10 G .P.M . [0.4 - 0.6 l/s] w hile operating. An extrem ely cold day m ight
result in a usage of 6,000-10,000 gallons [23,000 - 38,000 liters] of w ater.
Your w ell and pum p com bination should be large enough to supply the w ater needed by the heat pum p in
addition to your dom estic w ater requirem ents. You w ill probably need to enlarge your pressure tank or m odify your
plum bing to supply adequate w ater to the heat pum p.
Q: What problems can be caused by poor water quali ty?
A: Poor w ater quality can cause serious problem s in open-loop system s. Your w ater should be tested for hardness,
acidity and iron content before a heat pum p is installed. Your contractor can tell you w hat level of w ater quality
is acceptable.
M ineral deposits can build up inside the heat pum ps heat exchanger. Som etim es a periodic cleaning w ith a m ild
acid solution is all thats needed to rem ove the build-up.
Im purities, particularly iron, can eventually clog a return w ell. If your w ater has a high iron content you should be
sure that the discharge w ater is not aerated before its injected into a return w ell.
Geothermal heat pumps: open-loop systems
An exam ple of a groundw ater installation
9
Q: What are the components of a geothermal heat pump system?
A: The three m ain parts are the heat pum p unit, the liquid heat exchange m edium (open or close loop), and the air
delivery system (ductw ork).
Q: Are all geothermal heat pumps ali ke?
A: N o. There are different kinds of geotherm al
heat pum ps designed for speci c applications.
M any geotherm al heat pum ps, for exam ple, are
intended for use only w ith higher tem perature
ground w ater encountered in open-loop
system s. O thers w ill operate at entering w ater
tem peratures as low as 20F [-7C ] w hich is
required for closed-loop system s.
G eotherm al heat pum ps can also differ in the
w ay they are designed. Self-contained units
com bine the blow er, com pressor, w ater heat
exchanger and air coil in a single cabinet. Split
system s allow the coil to be added to a forced-
air furnace and utilize the existing blow er.
Q: Is a geothermal heat pump di fcult to i nstall?
A: M ost units are easy to install, especially w hen
they are replacing another forced-air system .
They can be installed in areas unsuitable
for fossil fuel furnaces because there is no
com bustion, thus, no need to vent exhaust gases.
D uctw ork m ust be installed in hom es that dont
have an existing air distribution system . The
dif culty of installing ductw ork w ill vary and
should be assessed by a contractor.
Geothermal heat pumps: parts of the system
Finally, you should opt against using w ater from a spring, pond, lake or river as a source for your heat pum p
system unless its proven to be free of excessive particles and organic m atter. They can clog a heat pum p system
and m ake it inoperable in a short tim e.
If w ater quality is a concern, a closed-loop system should be used.
Q: Does an open-loop system cause envi ronmental damage?
A: N o. They are pollution free. The heat pum p m erely rem oves heat from or adds heat to the w ater. N o pollutants
are added w hatsoever. The only change in the w ater returned to the environm ent is a slight increase or decrease
in tem perature.
Q: Are there any laws that apply to open-loop i nstallati ons?
A: In som e localities, all or parts of the installation m ay be subject to local ordinances, codes, covenants or licensing
requirem ents. C heck w ith local authorities to determ ine if any restrictions apply in your area.
An exam ple of a indoor split unit installation w ith an electric furnace in attic
Air
H andler
G eotherm al
H eat Pum p
H ot
W ater
Tank
Loop
C irculation
Pum p(s)
G round
Loop
C onnections
Geothermal heat pumps: open-loop systems continued
10
Q: Wi ll I have to add i nsulati on to my home i f I
i nstall one of these systems?
A: G eotherm al heat pum ps w ill reduce your heating
and cooling costs regardless of how w ell your
hom e is insulated. H ow ever, insulating and
w eatherizing are key factors in realizing the m ost
savings from any type of heating and cooling
system .
Q: Can a geothermal heat pump also heat water
for my home?
A: Yes. U sing w hats called a H ot W ater G enerator
(H W G ), som e types of geotherm al heat pum ps
can save you up to 50 percent on your w ater
heating bill by pre-heating tank w ater. The H W G
is a factory-installed option.
Q: Can a geothermal heat pump be added to my
fossi l fuel (Gas, oi l, propane) furnace?
A: Split system s can easily be added to existing
furnaces for those w ishing to have a dual-fuel
system . U se the heat pum p as the m ain heating
source and a furnace as a supplem ent in extrem ely
cold w eather if additional heat is needed.
Q: I have ductwork, but wi ll i t work wi th
thi s system?
A: In all probability, yes. Your installing contractor
should be able to determ ine ductw ork
requirem ents and any m inor m odi cations, if any
are needed.
Q: Do I need to i ncrease the si ze of my
electri c servi ce?
A: G eotherm al heat pum ps dont use large am ounts
of resistance heat, so your existing service m ay be
adequate. G enerally, a 200-am p service w ill have
enough capacity, and sm aller am p services m ay
be large enough in som e cases. Your electric utility
or contractor can determ ine your service needs.
Q: Should I buy a heat pump large enough to heat
my home wi th no supplemental heat?
A: Your contractor should provide a heating and
cooling load calculation (H eat Loss/H eat G ain)
to guide your equipm ent selection. G eotherm al
heat pum ps are sized to m eet all your cooling
requirem ents. D epending on your heating needs, a
geotherm al heat pum p w ill supply 80-100 percent
of your designed heating load. Sizing the heat pum p
An exam ple of a packaged up ow unit installation
H ot
W ater
Tank
G round
Loop
C onnections
Indoor
G eotherm al
H eat Pum p
Loop
C irculation
Pum p(s)
An exam ple of a outdoor dual fuel split unit installation m atched w ith a cased coil
H ot
W ater
Tank
O utdoor (Split)
G eotherm al
H eat Pum p
Furnace
C ased
C oil
Geothermal heat pumps: parts of the system continued
11
O ther types of installations:
Horizontal
Vertical downow
Water-to-water (radiant oor heating)
to handle your entire heating needs m ay result in slightly low er heating costs, but the savings m ay not offset the
added cost of the larger heat pum p unit. Also, som e oversized units can cause dehum idi cation problem s during the
cooling m ode, resulting in a loss of sum m er com fort.
Geothermal heat pumps: the major benefits
Q: How efci ent i s a geothermal heat pump?
A: G eotherm al heat pum ps are 3.5 - 5 tim es as ef cient as the m ost ef cient fossil fuel furnace. Instead of burning a
com bustible fuel to m ake heat, they sim ply m ove heat that already exists. By doing so, they provide 3.5 - 5 units
of energy for every unit used to pow er the heat-pum p system .
Q: What does a system li ke thi s cost?
A: A system for the typical hom e w ill cost m ore than if you bought a separate forced-air furnace and central air
conditioning system . But you w ouldnt be com paring apples to apples. To get an accurate com parison of costs
you need to consider the follow ing:
Payback, or how long it takes to recover the difference in costs betw een the tw o system s using energy savings.
Payback for m ost geotherm al heat pum p system s runs three to ve years.
Energy ef ciency of the tw o system s. To get an accurate picture, m ake sure ef ciency claim s are substantiated.
Your lifestyle and how w ell your hom e is insulated affect how econom ical a system w ill be.
Total operating savings from heating, cooling and dom estic hot w ater m ust be com bined to get an accurate
picture of total energy savings.
Energy costs and availability, both present and future.
M aintenance costs and system reliability.
System lifespan.
C lim ateM aster G eoD esigner softw are can calculate annual operating costs for geotherm al system s and com pare
to other technologies.
Q: What about comfort?
A: In w inter, a geotherm al heat pum p system m oves w arm air (90 - 105F) [32 - 41C ] throughout your hom e via a
standard duct netw ork. Typically, a very even com fort level is found throughout the hom e. This is because the w arm
air is m oved in slightly higher volum es and, therefore, saturates the hom e w ith w arm th m ore evenly. This even helps
out hot or cold spots and elim inates the hot air blasts com m on w ith fossil fuel furnaces.

In sum m er, cool, dehum idi ed air is dispersed through the sam e duct netw ork.

Its also a great com fort to know that youve reduced your energy consum ption w hile using an inexhaustible energy
source - the earth.
Q: Can I get a tax credi t for i nstalli ng thi s system?
A: O n Tuesday Feb. 17, 2009 the Am erican Recovery and Reinvestm ent Act of 2009, H .R. 1, w as signed and
becam e law . The bill further expanded the incentive for geotherm al heat pum ps. The lim it w as increased to a tax
credit of 30% of the total investm ent for all ground loop or ground w ater geotherm al heat pum p installations.
12
Q: Whi ch system i s best, open- or closed-loop?
A: The net results in operating cost and ef ciency are virtually the sam e. W hich system to choose depends m ainly on
w hether you have an adequate groundw ater supply and m eans of disposal. If you do, an open loop can be used very
effectively. If not, either a horizontal or vertical closed-loop system is your best choice.

O ver a period of years, a closed-loop system w ill require less m aintenance because its sealed and pressurized,
elim inating the possible build-up of m inerals or iron deposits.
Geothermal heat pumps: Questions you should ask about a new heating
and cooling system
Regardless of the type of heating and cooling system you m ay be considering for your hom e or business, there are speci c
questions you should ask the dealer/installer. These questions deal w ith nding out the actual ef ciency of the system , any
operating lim itations it m ay have, and the bottom line of operating costs. The answ ers here are m eant as a guide for w hat
you should try to nd out w ith your questions.
Q: What i s the Btuh [kW] si ze of the geothermal heat pump or furnace that s bei ng proposed?
A: H eating system s are designed to provide speci c am ounts of heat energy per hour. The term Btuh[kW ] refers
to how m uch heat can be produced by the unit. Before you can know w hat size system youll need, you m ust
have a heat loss/heat gain calculation done on your hom e. From that, an accurate determ ination can be m ade
on the size of the heating/cooling system . M any fossil fuel furnaces are substantially oversized for hom e heating
requirem ents, resulting in increased operating costs.
Q: Is the efci ency rati ng actual or j ust a manufacturer s average?
A: All types of heating and cooling system s have a rated ef ciency. Fossil fuel furnaces have a percentage ef ciency
rating. N atural gas, propane and fuel oil furnaces have ef ciency ratings based on laboratory conditions. To get
an accurate installed ef ciency rating, factors such as ue gas heat losses, cycling losses caused by oversizing,
blow er fan electrical usage, etc., m ust be included.
Air conditioners are norm ally rated in SEER (Seasonal Energy Ef ciency Ratio). SEER and EER (Energy Ef ciency
Ratio) cannot be directly com pared w ithout the use of softw are.

G eotherm al heat pum ps, as w ell as all other types of heat pum ps, have ef ciencies rated according to their
C oef cient of Perform ance or C O P for heating and EER for cooling. Its a scienti c w ay of determ ining how m uch
energy the system produces versus how m uch it uses.
M ost geotherm al heat pum ps system s have C O Ps of 3.5 - 5.0. That m eans for every one unit of energy used
to pow er the system , 3.5 to 5 units are supplied as heat. W hereas a fossil fuel furnace m ay be 80-90 percent
ef cient, a geotherm al heat pum p is about 450 percent ef cient. Som e geotherm al heat pum p m anufacturers
and electric utilities use softw are to accurately determ ine the operating ef ciency of a system for your hom e.
Softw are like C lim ateM aster G eoD esigner allow s com parisons in dollars to avoid the confusion of the various
rating system s.
Q: Wi ll the mi ni mum enteri ng water temperature have an affect on whi ch heat pump I buy?
A: Yes. If you have an open-loop system , your entering w ater tem peratures (EW Ts) m ay range from the 70sF [20sC ]
in the southern U nited States to the 40sF [single digits, C ] in C anada. All heat pum ps can handle tem peratures
in the m oderate to w arm ranges. A closed-loop system , on the other hand, m ay encounter EW Ts below freezing.
N ot all ground-source heat pum ps w ill operate at those low tem peratures. Its im portant for you to know w hat EW Ts
your heat pum p w ill handle.
Geothermal heat pumps: the major benefits continued
13
Q: Are the dealer and loop i nstallers quali ed?
A: D ont be afraid to ask for references from dealers. A reputable dealer w ont hesitate to give you nam es and
num bers to call to con rm his capabilities. The sam e applies to the loop installer.
Q: Wi ll open- or closed-loop be best for you?
A: That depends on several factors, as stated earlier. A dealer should be w illing to install w hats best for you, not
for him .
Q: Wi ll the loop j oi nts be heat fused?
A: The only acceptable m ethod for joining buried sections of the special pipe used for closed loop system s is heat
fusion. Any other m ethod w ill eventually result in the failure of the loop.
Q: How long i s the payback peri od for a ground-source heat pump system?
A: To gure this accurately, you m ust know how m uch per year youll save in energy costs w ith a ground-source
system , and the difference betw een it and a traditional heating system and central air conditioner. As an exam ple:
if youll save $700 per year w ith a ground-source system and the costs difference is $2,000, your payback w ould
be less than three years.
Q: If a home has cei li ng cable heat or baseboard heat, do ai r ducts need to be i nstalled i n my home?
A: N ot alw ays. It m ay be desirable to install ground-source heat pum p room units. For som e sm all hom es, one room
unit w ould provide m ost of the heating and cooling needs. C eiling cable or baseboard units could then be used
for supplem ental heat.
Q: Can I use a heat pump for radi ant oor heati ng (warm oors)?
A: Yes. W ater-to-W ater heat pum ps heat w ater instead of air. The principle is the sam e as far as loop piping is
concerned. W arm w ater is circulated through the oor to heat the hom e.
Q: If I want to know more about geothermal heat pumps, whom should I contact?
A: Visiting clim atem aster.com , or speaking w ith the dealer that provided this brochure can provide you w ith a w ealth
of additional inform ation about geotherm al heat pum ps.

O ne of the m any resources provided at clim atem aster.com is a distributor locator to nd the nearest C lim ateM aster
distributor. Your C lim ateM aster distributor can put you in touch w ith quali ed installers in your area. Also, your
local electric utility can provide you w ith m ore inform ation. G o to clim atem aster.com to nd a C lim ateM aster
dealer near you.
Glossary:
Closed-loop heat pump system: A heat pum p system that uses a loop of buried plastic pipe as a heat
exchanger. Loops can be horizontal or vertical.
COP (Coefcient of Performance): The ratio of heating provided by a heat pum p (or other refrigeration
m achine) to the energy consum ed by the system under designated operating conditions. The higher the C O P, the m ore
ef cient the system .
Compressor: The central part of a heat pum p system . The com pressor increases the pressure and tem perature of the
refrigerant and sim ultaneously reduces the volum e w hile causing the refrigerant to m ove through the system .
Cycling losses: The actual ef ciency of a heating or cooling system is reduced due to start-up and shut-dow n losses.
O ver sizing a heating or cooling system increases cycling losses.
Geothermal heat pumps: Questions continued
14
EER (Energy Efciency Ratio): The ratio of cooling provided by a heat pum p (or other refrigeration m achine)
to the energy consum ed by the system under designated operating conditions. The higher the EER, the m ore ef cient
the system .
Fossil fuel: Any of several types of com bustible fuels form ed from the decom position of organic m atter. Exam ples are
natural gas, propane, fuel oil, and coal.
Geothermal heat pump: A heat pum p that uses the earth as a heat source and heat sink.
Heat exchanger: A device designed to transfer heat betw een tw o physically separated uids or m edium s of
different tem peratures.
Heat pump: A m echanical device used for heating and cooling w hich operates by m oving heat from one location
to another. H eat pum ps can extract heat from air, w ater, or the earth. They are classi ed as either air-source or ground-
source (geotherm al) units.
Heat sink: The m edium - air, w ater or earth - w hich receives heat rejected from a heat pum p.
Heat source: The m edium - air, w ater or earth - from w hich heat is extracted by a heat pum p.
Hot Water Generator: A device for recovering superheat from the com pressor discharge gas of a heat pum p or
central air conditioner for use in heating or preheating potable w ater.
Open-loop heat pump system: A heat pum p system that uses groundw ater from a w ell. The w ater is returned
to the environm ent.
Payback: A m ethod of calculating how long it w ill take to recover the difference in costs of tw o different heating and
cooling system s by using the energy and m aintenance cost savings from the m ore ef cient system .
Supplemental heating: A heating system used during extrem ely cold w eather w hen additional heat is needed to
m oderate indoor tem peratures. M ay be in the form of electric resistance or fossil fuel.
Glossary Continued
15
Federal Income Tax Credit Highlights:
Tax credit equal to 30% of total system cost (exceptions apply - see IRS guidelines for more details)
No limit to the maximum credit amount
Can be used to offset AMT tax
Can be used in more than one year
Can be combined with solar and wind tax credits
Can be combined with energy efciency upgrade credits
Eligibility:
Home must be located in the U.S.
Does not have to be your main home
Includes houses, apartments, condos, mobile homes
Geothermal heat pump must be Energy Star qualied
Installed between 1/ 1/ 2008 and 12/ 31/ 2016
For more information, go to climatemaster.com.
Guide to Federal Tax Incentives for Residential Geothermal Heat Pumps
ClimateMaster, Inc. 2007
ClimateMaster works continually to improve its products. As a result, the design and specications of each product at the time for order may be
changed without notice and may not be as described herein. Please contact ClimateMasters Customer Service Department at 1-405-745-6000 for
specic information on the current design and spec i ca tions. Statements and other in for ma tion contained herein are not express warranties and do
not formthe basis of any bargain between the parties, but are merely ClimateMasters opinion or commen da tion of its products.
ClimateMaster is a company of LSB Industries, Inc. New York Stock Exchange Symbol: LXU
The management systemgoverning the manufacture of ClimateMasters products is ISO 9001:2000 certied.
RP002
Rev.: 2 April, 2014B
ISO 9001:2008
Certified
Quality: First & Always
24-hour information:
877-436-6263
climatemaster.com
7300 S.W. 44th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73179
405-745-6000
An LSB Industries, Inc. Company (NYSE: LXU)