HVAC Maintenance and Design Tips for Swimming Pools and Gyms

The buzz in the commercial HVAC world over the last decade is all about geothermal heating and cooling units. Buried mostly in the ground, these units have done amazing things for residential customers' heating and cooling needs, but what about commercial customers? Can you get a geothermal unit for your commercial facility, and if so, are the benefits similar to those that residential customers have? Here is more on commercial geothermal units, how they work on this larger scale, and the benefits of installation for commercial use. 

Same Underground Coils, Bigger Heat Pumps

For the most part, the underground coils of commercial geothermal units are the same. They may be slightly larger but not by much. You may need more than one coil depending on the size of your plant and the square footage that needs heating and cooling. Aside from that, you generally need larger-capacity heat pumps and more of them. The heat pumps are responsible for removing hot air and cooling it in the warmer months as well as removing colder air and heating it in the colder months. In a plant the size as yours, you may need more than one heat pump in any one part of the plant. Your HVAC contractor will know exactly how many pumps and coils to install. 

Benefits of Installation

The biggest benefit, of course, is the elimination of a boiler. Even though commercial boilers do well to create a lot of heat, the heat is not evenly distributed throughout the plant. It requires more energy and electricity to help the boiler's heated air circulate around the plant. With a heat pump, you also do not need any cooling towers. You can completely remove your plant's cooling towers and use the space to create additions to the plant, a very big bonus where space is concerned. Because the geothermal units are using underground ambient temperatures to heat and cool your plant, you only use a modicum of electricity to keep the heat pumps going. You reduce the amount of energy consumed immensely, and the geothermal units will last a very long time. 

On top of saving money, making space for a plant addition, getting rid of boilers and cooling towers, and having a very comfortable plant, you are turning your plant into a "green" company. You are incorporating something that will not leave a negative mark on the surrounding ecosystem. That creates a positive image for your company, too.