Thermal Creek Geothermal
4023 4 Street S.E., Calgary
Mon - Fri 8:30am - 4:30pm
(403) 764 2535
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Residential Geothermal

Thermal Creek Geothermal > Services > Residential Geothermal
Geothermal with Outdoor Pool
Residential Client Thermal Creek install Calgary, AB
Drilling at Cottage Club, AB
Drilling at Cottage Club, AB
Trenches ready for tie-in
Trenches ready for tie-in
8 Vertical boreholes in the back of a residential lot
8 Vertical boreholes in the back of a residential lot
Geothermal header fusion tie-in for 2 x 4 boreholes
Geothermal header fusion tie-in for 2 x 4 boreholes
Geothermal field lines coming into the house under the footings.
Geothermal field lines coming into the house under the footings.
Geothermal header lines, lined up inside the house, ready for the next phase.
Geothermal header lines, lined up inside the house, ready for the next phase.
Completed installation, NORDIC Triple-Function installation
Completed installation, NORDIC Triple-Function installation
Completed installation.
Completed installation.

Residential Geothermal: From Design to Commissioning

Since 2006 we have specialized in taking residential geothermal heating & cooling solutions from start to finish.

If you are considering geothermal for a new residential project, you have come to the right place. We have completed hundreds of projects, starting from a set of drawings, all the way to commissioning and post installation care.

New Build or Retrofit?

For residential geothermal projects, our main focus is on new construction. This is primarily due to the limitations on installation of geothermal loop fields in an existing home scenario.

Having said that, we  certainly have completed many retrofits where feasible. Below is a fantastic video from a project with did with EcoSynergy. 

If you are thinking of converting your existing home to a geothermal home,  consider the following aspects:
  • Available space for field installation
  • Access with Drilling Equipment
  • Location of Mechanical Room
  • Current Heat Distribution (ductwork, baseboards, etc...)
  • Age of the home
  • Quality of current insulation (walls, windows, doors etc...)

New Build Project Approach

The following steps are typical for a new build residential geothermal approach. Keep in mind that the entire geothermal design and installation process normally spans most of the house design and building process.

01
Design phase

Design and Planning

Once there is an architectural concept for the house, often during the DP phase of the project, Thermal Creek gets involved. We can have early discussions around the house HVAC system, distribution type(s) and location and size of the mechanical room. A review of the Plot Plan and location for the geothermal field is also typically part of this step. Key deliverables of this phase are:
02
Foundation Phase

Ground Loop Field Installation

We install the ground loop field usually just prior to the foundation work. For Vertical installations, we drill the boreholes at this time. This tends to get quite messy, so it is best to have the lot as cleared and empty as possible before we commence. On larger acreages, there is obviously more flexibility on timing, than in inner-city in-fills. Key deliverables of this phase are:
  • Boreholes drilled, or
  • Horizontal trenches completed
  • Header(s) fused and run into the house
  • Entire field pressure tested and backfilled
03
Step

Heat Pump installation

We bring the geothermal heat pump(s) into the mechanical room when construction is further along. At the earliest is when your slab is poured, house is fully locked up, and your main electrical panel is present and energized. Everything is ready for us to do our plumbing connections from the geothermal field to the heat pumps, water tanks and circulator pumps. Key deliverables of this phase are:
  • Ground loop lines connected to heat pumps
  • Heat pump(s) installed and piping completed
  • Thermostat(s) and other controls installed
  • Main electrical to geo system completed
04
Step

System Commissioning

The final step of the process is commissioning of the geothermal system. This includes flushing the geothermal ground loop field. We use a special flush system to remove any air and debris from the field and charge it with clean water and an antifreeze chemical. Once flushing is complete, we start-up and test all functions of the system. We fill out start-up and warranty documents, and hand over the system. Key deliverables of this phase are:
  • Ground loop field flushed and cleaned
  • Antifreeze installed
  • Geothermal system started and tested
  • Start-up and warranty documents submitted

Common Questions around Installations

01. Can I use the geo system for construction heat?

No. Geothermal systems are not meant to be used for construction heating. The main reason for this, is that the ground loop field is designed for the finished house, with all of its insulation installed, and normal occupancy of the house. Using the ground loop field during construction, puts excess strain on the field which can have negative effects. 

Apart from the field issues, construction gets very dusty and dirty. For geothermal heat pumps with a forced air component this poses a risk. Operating the heat pump at this time will often void manufacturer’s warranties.

It depends on some of the factors mentioned earlier. As long as there is still a possibility for us to place the ground loop field, we tend to get creative and make it happen!

If you are, for example, at foundation stage, we might rough-in some ground loop lines from the mechanical room to the outside. This way, we can simply connect to these lines when we place the ground loop field later on.

We loooove big mechanical rooms :), but realistically you do not have to plan anything much larger than with conventional HVAC systems. 

Geothermal heat pumps can take up a bit more space, but they also accomplish more functions in one unit.

For example, our NORDIC Triple-Function heat pump takes up more space than a furnace, but it replaces 3 pieces of equipment: A furnace, A/C unit and Boiler. 

It is best to consult us early on in Step 1 above so that we can address the mechanical room space requirements.

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