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Geothermal Heat Pumps
Geothermal heat pumps (sometimes referred to as GeoExchange, earth-coupled, ground-source, or water-source heat pumps) have been in use since the late 1940s. Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) use the constant temperature of the earth as the exchange medium instead of the outside air temperature. This allows the system to reach fairly high efficiencies (300%-600%) on the coldest of winter nights, compared to 175%-250% for air-source heat pumps on cool days.
While many parts of the country experience seasonal temperature extremes—from scorching heat in the summer to sub-zero cold in the winter—a few feet below the earth's surface the ground remains at a relatively constant temperature. Depending on latitude, ground temperatures range from 45°F (7°C) to 75°F (21°C). Like a cave, this ground temperature is warmer than the air above it during the winter and cooler than the air in the summer. The GHP takes advantage of this by exchanging heat with the earth through a ground heat exchanger.
As with any heat pump, geothermal and water-source heat pumps are able to heat, cool, and, if so equipped, supply the house with hot water. Some models of geothermal systems are available with two-speed compressors and variable fans for more comfort and energy savings. Relative to air-source heat pumps, they are quieter, last longer, need little maintenance, and do not depend on the temperature of the outside air.
A dual-source heat pump combines an air-source heat pump with a geothermal heat pump. These appliances combine the best of both systems. Dual-source heat pumps have higher efficiency ratings than air-source units, but are not as efficient as geothermal units. The main advantage of dual-source systems is that they cost much less to install than a single geothermal unit, and work almost as well.
Even though the installation price of a geothermal system can be several times that of an air-source system of the same heating and cooling capacity, the additional costs are returned to you in energy savings in 5–10 years. System life is estimated at 25 years for the inside components and 50+ years for the ground loop. There are approximately 50,000 geothermal heat pumps installed in the United States each year.
Absorption Heat Pumps
Absorption heat pumps are essentially air-source heat pumps driven not by electricity, but by a heat source such as natural gas, propane, solar-heated water, or geothermal-heated water. Because natural gas is the most common heat source for absorption heat pumps, they are also referred to as gas-fired heat pumps. There are also absorption coolers available that work on the same principal, but are not reversible and cannot serve as a heat source. These are also called gas-fired coolers.
Residential absorption heat pumps use an ammonia-water absorption cycle to provide heating and cooling. As in a standard heat pump, the refrigerant (in this case, ammonia) is condensed in one coil to release its heat; its pressure is then reduced and the refrigerant is evaporated to absorb heat. If the system absorbs heat from the interior of your home, it provides cooling; if it releases heat to the interior of your home, it provides heating.
The difference in absorption heat pumps is that the evaporated ammonia is not pumped up in pressure in a compressor, but is instead absorbed into water. A relatively low-power pump can then pump the solution up to a higher pressure. The problem then is removing the ammonia from the water, and that's where the heat source comes in. The heat essentially boils the ammonia out of the water, starting the cycle again.
A key component in the units now on the market is generator absorber heat exchanger technology, or GAX, which boosts the efficiency of the unit by recovering the heat that is released when the ammonia is absorbed into the water. Other innovations include high-efficiency vapor separation, variable ammonia flow rates, and low-emissions, variable-capacity combustion of the natural gas.
Although mainly used in industrial or commercial settings, absorption coolers are now commercially available for large residential homes, and absorption heat pumps are under development. The 5-ton residential cooler systems currently available are only appropriate for homes on the scale of 4,000 square feet or more.
Absorption coolers and heat pumps usually only make sense in homes without an electricity source, but they have an added advantage in that they can make use of any heat source. Because of this, they can make use of solar energy, geothermal hot water, or other heat sources. They are also amenable to zoned systems, in which different parts of the house are kept at different temperatures.
The efficiency of air-source absorption coolers and heat pumps is indicated by their coefficient of performance (COP). COP is the ratio of either heat removed (for cooling) or heat provided (for heating) in Btu per Btu of energy input. Look for a heating efficiency of 1.2 COP or greater and a cooling efficiency of 0.7 COP or greater.
Operating and Maintaining Your Heat Pump
Proper operation of your heat pump will save energy. Do not set back the heat pump's thermostat if it causes the backup heating to come on; backup heating systems are usually more expensive to operate. Continuous indoor fan operation can degrade heat pump performance unless a high-efficiency, variable-speed fan motor is used. Operate the system on the "auto" fan setting on the thermostat.
Like all heating and cooling systems, proper maintenance is key to efficient operation. The difference between the energy consumption of a well-maintained heat pump and a severely neglected one ranges from 10%–25%.
Clean or change filters once a month or as needed, and maintain the system according to manufacturer's instructions. Dirty filters, coils, and fans reduce airflow through the system. Reduced airflow decreases system performance and can damage your system's compressor. Clean outdoor coils whenever they appear dirty; occasionally, turn off power to the fan and clean it; remove vegetation and clutter from around the outdoor unit. Clean the supply and return registers within your home, and straighten their fins if bent.
You should also have a professional technician service your heat pump at least every year. The technician can do the following:
• Inspect ducts, filters, blower, and indoor coil for dirt and other obstructions
• Diagnose and seal duct leakage
• Verify adequate airflow by measurement
• Verify correct refrigerant charge by measurement
• Check for refrigerant leaks
• Inspect electric terminals, and if necessary, clean and tighten connections, and apply nonconductive coating
• Lubricate motors, and inspect belts for tightness and wear
• Verify correct electric control, making sure that heating is locked out when the thermostat calls for cooling and vice versa
• Verify correct thermostat operation.
Advanced Features to Look for in a Heat Pump
A number of relatively new innovations are improving the performance of heat pumps.
Unlike standard compressors that can only operate at full capacity, two-speed compressors allow heat pumps to operate close to the heating or cooling capacity that is needed at any particular moment. This saves large amounts of electrical energy and reduces compressor wear. Two-speed heat pumps also work well with zone control systems. Zone control systems, often found in larger homes, use automatic dampers to allow the heat pump to keep different rooms at different temperatures.
Some models of heat pumps are equipped with variable-speed or dual-speed motors on their indoor fans (blowers), outdoor fans, or both. The variable-speed controls for these fans attempt to keep the air moving at a comfortable velocity, minimizing cool drafts and maximizing electrical savings. It also minimizes the noise from the blower running at full speed.
Many high-efficiency heat pumps are equipped with a desuperheater, which recovers waste heat from the heat pump's cooling mode and uses it to heat water. A desuperheater-equipped heat pump can heat water 2 to 3 times more efficiently than an ordinary electric water heater.
Another advance in heat pump technology is the scroll compressor, which consists of two spiral-shaped scrolls. One remains stationary, while the other orbits around it, compressing the refrigerant by forcing it into increasingly smaller areas. Compared to the typical piston compressors, scroll compressors have a longer operating life and are quieter. According to some reports, heat pumps with scroll compressors provide 10°–15°F (5.6°–8.3°C) warmer air when in the heating mode, compared to existing heat pumps with piston compressors.
Although most heat pumps use electric resistance heaters as a backup for cold weather, heat pumps can also be equipped with burners to supplement the heat pump. Back-up burners help solve the problem of the heat pump delivering relatively cool air during cold weather and reduce its use of electricity. Since there are few heat pump manufacturers that incorporate both types of heat supply in one box, these configurations are often two smaller, side-by-side, standard systems sharing the same ductwork. The combustion fuel half of the system could be propane, natural gas, oil, or even coal and wood.
In comparison with a combustion fuel-fired furnace or standard heat pump alone, this type of system is also economical. Actual energy savings depend on the relative costs of the combustion fuel relative to electricity. |
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Ductwork Installation Guide
Finished Basement Edition
Doing ductwork installation sounds like a job that must be done by a professional. You may be surprised to know that by following my simple instructions, you can install your own ductwork in no time.
This book is about doing your own ductwork. Doing your own ductwork has significant financial advantages. You may be surprised to learn that installing your own ductwork in your finished basement project may save you a tremendous amount of money. Completing this task on your own can save you as much as $2,000.00. (With New Chapters added)
Usually, this task seems very complicated without some prior knowledge of the subject. But this handy book was designed for your first time through a ductwork installation. It will guide you through each step of the installation process. During the process of installing your new ductwork, I’ll will be there with you offering step by step “how to” instructions.
Also, this book is very useful if you are a ductwork installer! Depending on what you are doing every day at work it will bring you knowledge and understanding equal from 5 to up to10 years of experience!
And you are not alone. In order to meet growing demand for the most popular pages on my website I’ve decided to combine all the pages from my website dedicated to the finished basement issues in one CD disk and sell it as a “Ductwork Installation Guide” book.
 Nine pages for the "Guide" have been taken from the “Professionally Answered Questions” page, three from the “Installation in Pictures” page, one from the “ Ductwork Installation Guide”: chapter 51, two from the “Energy Saving” tips and one from the “How Did I do It Quiz Archives”.
So if you decide to finish the basement on your own you are going to have complete guidance which includes everything that you need to know to finish the project! Furthermore, all three pages from “Installation in Pictures” page are including step by step explanations to it too!
As I’ve mentioned above all chapters of the “Guide” are presented on my website and designed to help anyone who is finishing his/her basement off:
1. Cold Air Return in Basement - This chapter gives a description of the cold air return installation on the wall which separates mechanical room from the rest of the finished basement. In this chapter you can see pictures of all necessary tools and materials and pictures of the system elements installed. All installation is divided into six steps.
2. Cold Air Return from Interior Wall – This chapter gives a description of the cold air return installation from the inner wall, which separates two rooms in the finished basement. In this chapter you can see pictures of all necessary tools and materials and pictures of the system elements installed. All installation is divided into three steps.
3. Double Cold Air Return Installation - In this chapter you can find a description of the double cold air return installation on the wall which separates mechanical room from rest of the basement. Here you can see pictures of all materials and tools necessary for installation. Pictures which represent installation are set in the sequence in which the installation should be executed.
4. Ducted Cold Air Return - This chapter gives a description of the cold air return installation in the closet. Here you can see pictures of all materials and tools necessary for installation.
Pictures which represent installation and explanations are set in the sequence in which the installation should be executed.
5. How to Extend Heat Ducts to Floor - This chapter gives a description of the heat duct installation in the wall, which separates mechanical room from the rest of the finished basement. In this chapter you can see pictures of all necessary tools and materials and pictures of the system elements installed. All installation is divided into four steps.
6. How to Drop a Register to Ceiling – This chapter gives a description of the sleeve installation that is a necessary element for the supply register, which is coming straight down off the duct. In this page, you can see pictures of all necessary tools and materials and pictures of the system elements installed. All installation is divided into five steps.
7. How to Drop a Register to Shallow Ceiling - In this chapter you can find another way for how to drop a register to the soffit right below the duct. There are 19 pictures of all necessary tools and materials. All installation is divided into four steps.
8. Register Installation on Ceiling Tile– This chapter gives a description of the register installation on the ceiling tile. In this chapter you can see pictures of all necessary tools and materials and pictures of the system elements installed. All installation is divided into four steps.
9. Rerun of Heat Run - On this page, you can find a description of how to rerun a heat run, which is set in the middle of the basement's ceiling in a more suitable area for your finished basement project place. Here you can see pictures of all materials and tools necessary for installation.
Pictures and explanations that represent installation are set in the sequence in which the installation should be executed.
10. Bath Fan Exhaust through Brick Wall – In this chapter you can find out how to run the bath fan exhaust through the brick wall. In this chapter you can see pictures of all necessary tools and materials and pictures of the system elements installed. All installation is divided into four steps.
11. Tap Takeoff into Existing Duct - In this chapter you can find how to tap into the existing ductwork.
12. Duct Span Removal - In this page you can find a detailed explanation on how to remove a span of duct and how to put it back together.
13. Zoning - This chapter describes how to install a zoning system.
14. Installation of Combustion Air Intake - This chapter has all necessary information for anyone who decided to run a combustion air intake. It’s explains what to do if you have a brick or siding wall and how to run it inside of your basement. In the chapter you can find all necessary materials and tools for the project. There are 31 photos and step by step explanations.
15. Installation of Fresh Air Intake - This chapter gives a description of installation of the fresh air Intake, which is a necessary element of your HVAC system. In this chapter you can see pictures of all necessary tools and materials and pictures of the fresh air intake installed. All installation is divided into six steps.
16. Useful Tips and Tricks
As you can see in the four first chapters you can find explanations of all possible “Cold Air Return Installations”.
Six chapters cover another important topic: how to run and terminate the “heat runs”.
Two chapters dedicated to the ductwork, zoning and duct removal issues.
In one chapter you will find how to run the bath fan exhaust.
Two chapters dedicated to the important issues of the Fresh and Combustion Air Intakes, and finally, in the last one you can find all very important tips and tricks which can be very useful in your finished basement project:
01. How to do heat runs in the floor trusses
02. How to make 7” duct from 6” one
03. How to fix broken elbow
04. How to calculate a “jumper”
05. How to take apart a round pipe
06. How to calculate length of an additional piece of pipe
07. How to install a blocker
08. How to make a reducer
09. How to fix a heat run
10. How to make a Tee
11. How to make a collar
12. How to put round duct together
17. Ductwork Insulation - This chapter gives a description of insulation of the existing ductwork.
18. Sealing Ductwork - In the chapter, you will learn how to properly seal the ductwork, what kind of tool to use and where the sealant should be applied.
19. Ductwork Relocation – In this chapter you will learn how bring a low hanging duct in the joist space.
20. Safety Techniques – the chapter explains how to perform work safely in nine instances.
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When you insert CD in your computer you are going to see this:
All chapters and pictures of the "Guide" are gathered in one folder:
When you open the folder you are going to see two more:
The first folder has all 20 chapters of the “Guide” in it:
All chapters have a list of materials and tools; pictures of all materials and tools will be shown in the separate windows:
 
All chapters are connected to each other, so if you have started from one you can easily get to the next one without coming back to the chapter’s folder:
The second folder has all pictures in it and you can see all pictures in the separate windows:
The Ductwork Installation Guide Finished Basement Edition book has 237 pictures and 83 pages in it. It includes pictures of materials, tools and installation.
The Ductwork Installation Guide Finished Basement Edition book is written in the Microsoft Word and it works in both: PC and Mac. The book has 20 chapters, all chapters are available separately.
Price for the Ductwork Installation Guide Finished Basement Edition book is $33.27 ($1.27 is the PayPal's fee).
The price also includes CD disk, CD container, shipping and handling, in addition, since 01/20/11 you can get an instant access to the Finished Basement Edition, Installation in Pictures book that is $10.62 value absolutely free! Scroll down for more information.
You can make a payment by using a "Buy Now" button below.
If you have any questions or comments please type them on this page.
This is the place where the people who have purchased one of my books can say "Thank You", join others and show their accomplishments in the field of ductwork installation!
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Downloadable Version of the “Finished Basement Edition” is Available Now!
You can buy this book for very low price of only $17.83 ($0.83 is the PayPal's fee) and get it without any delay !!!
Please use the BuyNow Button below and it will open up the download page for you.
Instant Download:
After you have purchased a paid page, PayPal is going to bring you back to my website. In order to see the paid page you have to click on the “Register” button, fill out the form, choose your own Username and Password, click on the arrow at the top of the page, move the form up and click on the “Register” button at the bottom of the form – congratulation, you are now on the page you have paid for!
Important: After you have purchased any Paid page or Download page and PayPal brought you back to my website, the first thing that you should do is to save that page to your Favorites. Then if something goes wrong you always can come back to re-register yourself on my website again.
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Finished Basement Edition, Installation in Pictures
As we all know, a picture is worth a thousand words!
In this book, you can see dozens of tool and materials pictures and 152 high quality photos of actual installations, which represent all aspects of installation in the step-by-step sequence!
This book has 11 chapters in it:
- Basement Cold Air Return in Pictures
- Double Cold Air Return Installation
- Ducted Cold Air Return
- Return from Exterior Wall in Basement
- Two Cold Air Returns from Interior Wall
- Bathroom Heat for the Finished Basement
- Rerun of the Heat Runs
- Tapping Two Heats for Finished Basement
- Combustion Air Intake Installation in Pictures
- Finished Basement Kitchen Hood
- Venting of Two Bathroom Fans
Together with the Finished Basement Edition book, here you can find almost all possible cases of the finished basement ductwork installation. It is why I would recommend you to purchase them both.
However, this particular book has its very significant value too. For example if you are a professional installer you don't need a detailed explanation on how to measure, cut and crimp a pipe and so on, but because nobody is doing this kind of work on a daily basis this book would be a great tutorial for any of you!
For the same reason if you a homeowner and hire an HVAC company you need to know what they are doing and show them a picture or two on how this or that should be done!
Therefore, here is a deal:
- You can purchase an instant access to the Finished Basement Edition, Installation in Pictures book for the low price of only $10.62 ($0.62 is the PayPal's fee).
- If you decide to purchase Finished Basement Edition book (see above), on the download page you will find another BuyNow button that will help you to purchase an instant access to this book for a discount price of only $5.47 ($0.47 is PayPal's fee).
- Finally, if you would purchase CD version of the Finished Basement Edition book (see at the top of this page)then the PayPal will bring you back to this book where you have to register yourself on my site (see below) and get an instant access to the book absolutely free.
Instant Access
After you have purchased a paid page, PayPal is going to bring you back to my website. In order to see the paid page you have to click on the “Register” button, fill out the form, choose your own Username and Password, click on the arrow at the top of the page, move the form up and click on the “Register” button at the bottom of the form – congratulation, you are now on the page you have paid for!
Important: After you have purchased any Paid page or Download page and PayPal brought you back to my website, the first thing that you should do is to save that page to your Favorites. Then if something went wrong you always can come back to re-register yourself on my website again.
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Tags
complete guide to finishing basements heating ducts, moving ducts in basement, how to change ductwork in basement, how to extend ductwork, how to relocate ducts for basement finishing, can I use the same duct work in my basement, installing return-air grilles on the floor not ceiling, can you split duct work to add basement register, cold air return with damper, can you tap into the bottom of the main cold air return, how to tap into round hvac duct, adding a return in basement to take out humidity, basement ducting, basement duct work ideas, basement bathroom ideas, running duct work when finishing basement,
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