Copper has a natural advantage over plastic. As a highly conductive material, copper is one of the best methods of transferring heat which allows it to be a much more efficient ground loop heat exchanger. Copper’s thermal conductivity (k) rate is more than 600 times greater than plastic, it’s this capability that allows copper to maximize the earth’s heat for your home. As a result, smaller diameter earth loops with smaller less expensive holes to be drilled compared to plastic pipe alternatives.

No, A water geothermal system is designed to pump water through the plastic ground loop, whereas in a Waterless™ DX Geothermal design, It pumps refrigerant through copper tubing.

Absolutely! The functionality and versatility of a DX geo system allows the system to both heat and cool your home efficiently. With the press of a button on your indoor thermostat you are able to control whether the geothermal system is in heating mode or cooling mode.

Yes! Waterless™ DX Geothermal uses an EPA approved, environmentally friendly refrigerant (freon). Both Direct Exchange (DX) and Water Source Geothermal systems use refrigerant in their systems.

According to the EPA, “Refrigerant is also a non toxic, inert gas, posing no direct health threat to humans–nor to ground water–and it can be used with confidence in underground heat exchangers as a part of a DX System.”

Refrigerant has been around for over 50 years. It’s even used in coolers at the grocery store where our food remains safe to consume even after it’s been exposed to refrigerant leaks.

Hot water is one of the add-on benefits a Direct Exchange (DX) geothermal system can provide! If you want, a hot water desuperheater (heat exchanger) can be built into your systems design. It moves the excess heat from the refrigerant to your hot water tank allowing you to supply hot water to your home.

A hot water desuperheater will generally provide 120°F water and can supply most of the domestic water needs depending on the amount of consumption. The cost of water through the use of a desuperheater is pennies a day or can even be free.

Almost all of the Waterless™ DX Geothermal systems are installed indoors, usually in a utility room, garage, or basement. This is appealing to our customers because it frees up outdoor space, which allows for better architectural design and yard usage. As well as keeping the unit protected from any dangerous outdoor conditions that may exist.

The system has a very quiet operation. It’s very quiet and provides a pleasant environment inside of the home. There are no noisy fan units to disturb your regular activities.

Yes! This is because it works with nature, not against it. The system is also extremely clean. It emits no greenhouse gases and doesn’t create heat by burning fossil fuels, which is what a conventional furnace does. It simply moves heat from one place to another. This means no pollutants are added to the air.

Since a DX system does not depend on burning fossil fuels for heat, installing one into your home is equivalent to planting 750 trees or permanently removing 2 cars off the road.

Both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy have determined ground source heat pumps have the lowest environmental impact of all heating systems and they reduce consumption and corresponding emissions up to 75%.

As green building practices gain attention because of their ability to offer energy saving and lower utility bills, updated guidelines provide real estate appraisers with a method of documenting energy efficient upgrades, including geothermal energy. This allows them to better evaluate the values of green homes.

Both home appraisers and real-estate agents are educated and acknowledge a geothermal system as a renewable energy source with greater value. The EPA has stated that geothermal systems can increase the value of a home $20 for every dollar saved in heating costs per year. Allowing your home to be much more appealing for resell.

Yes and No, all contractors must perform a heat load calculation to determine if the ductwork can be utilized.

It also depends on the age of the system and your current ductwork. Most systems are sized to the cooling load, not the heating load. Therefore, ductwork may need to be installed in homes that don’t have existing or adequate air distribution system. Your home should be assessed by a contractor who can tell you the requirements and modifications needed to make it the most efficient.

There are a few minor things in order to prolong the systems life. For example, routine maintenance such as changing the filters for the air handler. It is recommended that a trained professional checks the system two years after installation. Service dates can be discussed after that point.

When installed properly, copper loops can last for many generations. Copper is one of the few metals that exists naturally in the earth as an element today. It is also a stable metal and is non-corrosive in most soil conditions.

No, copper loops have been proven to have no adverse effect on grass, tree, or shrubs. Initially there will be bare areas in the ground from inserting the loops into the bore holes, but these can be restored by planting seed or sod. The vertical/diagonal loop design requires less space than a horizontal loop design, resulting in less of the homeowner’s yard being tore up