The majority of owners of geothermal heat pumps adore them. Geothermal HVAC systems are far more durable than a normal split heat pump system. Also, they are quite efficient, especially in the winter. Some of the issues with geothermal heat pumps are particular. After all, a ground source system heat pump comprises several parts that are uncommon in typical HVAC systems. We’ll examine some of the most typical geothermal heat pump issues you may encounter.
The Geothermal HVAC System: Warning Signs
Here are some typical warning signs that geothermal HVAC systems may be having:
- Inadequate airflow
- Water seeps from system parts that are obvious
- Rooms suddenly aren’t heating or cooling evenly in the winter or in the summer
- High electricity costs
- Strange odors or sounds
Additionally, it’s a concern if the system isn’t cooling or heating at all. Here are the most frequent issues with geothermal HVAC systems.
1. Poor Pump
Geothermal systems, in contrast to conventional air source heat pumps, utilize pumps to circulate water through a ground loop. Both the water and the heat it contains cannot circulate through the system if the pump stops working. We can sometimes fix the pump. It makes more sense to replace it at other times. The most cost-effective solution might be to replace your geothermal heat pump if it is an old system with a history of issues.
2 . Insufficient Ground Loop Pressure
Geothermal HVAC systems have the advantage of heating your house in the winter by drawing heat from the ground. Geothermal systems may heat quite well since the ground is substantially warmer than the outside air on particularly chilly days.
However, for them to do that, water inside a ground loop must absorb all of that heat and transfer it to your house. For the water to efficiently transfer the heat to your home, the water pressure inside that loop must be adequate.
Additionally, water can be used to transfer heat from your house throughout the summer. If the pressure deviates from the range recommended by the manufacturer, the system won’t heat or cool properly. It must be professionally recharged so that you can continue to feel at ease in your home. How can one get an incorrect ground loop pressure? Since the underground loop enlarges over time, a specialist could be required to supply a tiny amount of water to maintain equilibrium. Typically, it is all that is required. Since loop leaks are uncommon, dealing with ground loop pressure is typically not necessary.
3. Leaky Gaskets
Water is a must for any geothermal system, thus leaks are always a possibility. Fortunately, we rarely observe water gushing from these systems. It’s more typical to see a slow leak form, one that initially doesn’t cause concerns but will do so once enough water has leaked from the system.
Normally, we visually inspect every component that is above ground to look for leaks. Next, we replace any corroded hardware or leaky gaskets. In case there are sufficient water leaks to upset the balance, we also need to examine the system pressure.
4. Bad Air Filter
The best (or possibly the easiest?) is reserved for last! Always consider when you last replaced your air filter when your geothermal heat pump is having trouble keeping you comfortable. Has a long time passed? If it has, replace the filter immediately. Your HVAC system will be short of air due to dirty air filters. The simplest way to describe this is that when there isn’t much air flowing through the system, there can’t be much heat transfer to the air. Your geothermal system may occasionally merely have a filthy air filter as a problem. Simply clean it or replace it per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Conclusion
Note that because geothermal HVAC systems generate and remove heat from the ground, it is seen as a special system. The same issues standard HVAC system encounter might also arise with geothermal systems because they still have many of the same parts. However, this case may be, you can reach out to your HVAC technician to check out your system for you to reinstall its efficiency.