Geothermal

                 Advantages Over "High-Efficiency" Air Source Heat Pumps

1.      Higher average COP (heating) and EER (coding) efficiency ratings.
2.      Saves from 40 to 60% in operating costs on an annual basis.
3.      Increases comfort by efficiently using the favorable earth heat source to provide 100°F supply air.
4.      Does not lose efficiency as ambient air temperature drops.
5.      Can be located in a utility room or basement because of no need to circulate air over an exterior coil.
6.      Quiet operation resulting from total system enclosure and elimination of exterior fan and motor.
7.      Exterior condenser/evaporator unit is buried out of sight, protected from damage, theft and weather.
8.      Approximately one-half the size and weight of a typical air source heat pump unit.
9.      Not subject to freezing; no defrost cycle required; no supplemental heat required.
10.    Eliminates the exterior coil, fan, fan motor and capacitor, defrost timer, and ancillary wiring, making it
       mechanically and electrically simpler.
11.    Has greatly improved reliability and service life because of its simplicity and stable temperature source.
12.    Achieves high efficiency without having to utilize variable speed compressors or multi-speed fans.
13.    Extends compressor life by reducing compressor wear caused by temperature fluctuations in ambient
       air and by preventing liquid refrigerant from returning to the compressor.
14.    Energy demand charge reduction, where applicable.

                              Statement Letter from the EPA Dated July 10, 1997

                                  United States Environmental Protection Agency
                                                  Office of Air and Radiation
                                                          Washington, DC

Re: Direct Exchange Geothermal Heat Pump Systems:

“As you may know, EPA recognized GHP’s as the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly technology for
heating and cooling homes in most climates in its 1993 report, Space Conditioning: The Next Frontier. We at the
Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Division (APPD) at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) look quite positively on
the potential of DX GHP’s. The use of refrigerant in copper pipes as a heat exchanger appears to have an inherent
efficiency advantage over antifreeze solutions in plastic pipe, making them even more attractive from an energy-
efficiency standpoint than traditional GHP’s.

Our only potential concern with DX GHP’s is that they use R-22, as do virtually all other large-scale heat pump
technologies on the market. Since R-22 contributes to ozone depletion, it is being phased out over the next three
decades in accordance with the Montreal Protocol. DX GHP’s do not appear to use appreciably more R-22 than air-
source heat pumps, and EPA is not discouraging their use. One of the key reasons R-22 has been such a widely used
refrigerant for more than 50 years is that it is a non-toxic, inert gas that poses no direct health dangers to humans, and
therefore could be used with confidence by HVAC manufacturers and installers. Since R-22 poses no direct health
threat to humans-nor to underground water-there is no reason why it cannot also be used with confidence in
underground heat exchangers as part of a DX system
EPA does regulate the use of R-22, however. Only licensed persons may install and service systems that use the
refrigerant, and they must follow EPA guidelines regarding reclamation and recycling of the refrigerant. For more
information about R-22 regulations, please call 1-800-296-1996.”

Stephen J. Offutt
Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Division - EPA