Residential HVAC Services in Texas by NATiVE

The large majority of our net zero homes have geothermal heat pump systems for their heating and cooling needs. However, due to the reduced price of solar, for residential HVAC, we have found that it is now more cost effective to install a high efficiency air source heat pump with a little more solar to achieve the same end result: no electric bill. That being said, there are still applications in which geothermal power is an excellent option for our customers and we continue to offer it as an option for our homes.

High Efficiency Air Source Heat Pump

For climates like Texas with moderate heating needs, heat pumps offer an energy-efficient alternative to furnaces and air conditioners.

Like your refrigerator, heat pumps use electricity to move heat from a cool space to a warm space, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer. During the heating season, heat pumps move heat from the cool outdoors into your warm house and during the cooling season, heat pumps move heat from your cool house into the warm outdoors. Because they move heat rather than generate heat, heat pumps can provide equivalent space conditioning at as little as one quarter of the cost of operating conventional heating or cooling appliances.

The most common type of heat pump is the air-source heat pump, which transfers heat between your house and the outside air. If you heat with electricity, a heat pump can trim the amount of electricity you use for heating by as much as 30% to 40%. High-efficiency heat pumps also dehumidify better than standard central air conditioners, resulting in less energy usage and more cooling comfort in summer months.

Geothermal Heat Pumps for NEW NATiVE Homes in Austin, Dallas, San Antonio & More

When you consider the surface of the earth, especially in Texas, it can be quite hot in the summer months and very cold in the winter. While the temperature of the earth changes with the seasons, the temperature of the ground below the surface, does not. Even at just six feet below the surface of the ground, the temperature is about 70 degrees Fahrenheit year round.

What geothermal power does is take advantage of this consistent ground temperature and uses it for a more efficient heat exchange. This heat exchange is accomplished with a series of vertically drilled wells that include special piping filled with water. The water is pumped around the geothermal compressor in the home and out to the wells, which is conduit for the house/ground heat exchange. Simply put, the closer the indoor temperature is to the media of heat exchange, be it ground or air, the better the efficiency.