We install energy efficient home heating systems throughout Northern Michigan

In most areas of the country, heating expenses consume a large part of a family's annual energy budget. The prices we pay for our main heating energy sources --oil heating, gas heating and electric heating-- are continuing to rise. That's why it's more and more important to have a heating system that performs efficiently, so it doesn't waste the fuel we are paying for.

A number of factors determine the efficiency of your heating system. For starters, we know that by improving a home's insulation and airtightness, it's possible to reduce the demand for heat because less heat will leak out through your home's ceilings and walls. Beyond these improvements, heating system efficiency depends on the type of heat being used and the efficiency of the heating appliance in use.

 

Gas heating systems are a convenient & affordable option for the home.

Gas heating can mean heating with natural gas or propane. Natural gas is mined like oil. It undergoes minimal processing after being extracted from the earth, and contains a number of different gases —primarily propane, butane, ethane and methane. Propane is separated from natural gas during processing and is stored & distributed as a liquid; LPG stands for liquid propane gas.

GeoFurnace Heating & Cooling, LLC can service your gas furnace or boiler to ensure maximum efficiency. We will also provide a free quote for replacing an old, inefficient oil furnace or boiler with a state-of-the-art system to save money and improve comfort.

With the newest technology available, gas furnaces can operate at over 94% efficiency. This means that by upgrading from a 65% efficient gas furnace to a 96% gas furnace, you'll drop your gas bill by 31% just by doing that alone!

What Does "Efficiency Rating" Mean?

A furnace boiler or water heater burns fuel to generate heat and needs to put that heat into an air stream in your ducts, or into water in your pipes. The efficiency rating is what percentage of that heat gets into your air or water. What happens to the rest of the heat? It goes up the chimney and is lost into the sky.

Therefore, a 15-year-old furnace that is 65% efficient is putting 35% of the heat you paid for up the chimney. A 96% efficient furnace only "wastes" 4%! A big difference! And since the cost of the fuel you put through a furnace, boiler or water heater during its lifetime is much greater than the cost of the unit itself, it's worth it to install the very highest efficiency equipment available! Let GeoFurnace Heating & Cooling, LLC accomplish this in your home!

Benefits of Natural Gas and Propane

Like most gas-burning appliances, gas-fired furnaces and boilers can easily be modified to burn propane or natural gas fuel. A furnace will supply hot air to a forced-air heating system; a boiler supplies hot water for heating and/or washing.

Propane contains more energy than natural gas, so producing a given amount of heat will require less propane than natural gas. However, propane is also more expensive than natural gas, offsetting its higher energy content. The choice between the two fuels often depends on what is available locally. Natural gas arrives in homes via underground pipes.

Propane is stored in one or more tanks located outside the house; tanks are refilled as necessary by a truck dispatched from a local propane dealer. Small propane containers —the kind that fuel outdoor grills—can be brought in for refills by the homeowner.

Propane and natural gas produce less pollution than fuel oil when burned, so environmental advocates tend to prefer gas over oil. Also, the planned development of natural gas reserves in the U.S. promises to make the price of natural gas and propane more stable than the price of fuel oil.

 

Heat Pump

Lower your electrical consumption with a heat pump system installed.

A very high efficiency gas furnace may be 95% efficient at burning gas and delivering heat to your home. But a heat pump, which is an air conditioner running in reverse using electricity, can be up to 300% efficient!

You should ask, "How can it be more than 100% efficient?" Good question: and the answer is simple. A heat pump isn't producing heat like a gas or oil combustion appliance; it's moving heat. An air conditioner moves heat from inside to outside, and a heat pump, which is an air conditioner that can run backwards, moves heat from outside to inside.

In Northern climates you may wonder how that's possible if it's cold outside. But a high efficiency heat pump can do a great job down to about 38° F outside. We can install a hybrid system (see our video) for the greatest efficiency. When it's too cold out for the heat pump, a high efficiency gas furnace takes over.

Mini Split System

Enjoy greater comfort & lower energy bills without the need for ductwork

Do you wish your house had central air conditioning? Are you building an addition or converting an attic or porch into living space? Do you live in an older house with beautiful period details but an outdated HVAC system?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, mini-split heat pump technology could be the perfect solution to your HVAC problems.

A mini-split heat pump provides forced-air heating and cooling, but without the use of ductwork. For this reason, these units are also referred to as ductless heat pumps or ductless mini-splits.

Here at GeoFurnace Heating & Cooling, LLC, we install innovative ductless heat pump systems from leading manufacturers.

Benefits of a mini split heat pump system

  • No ductwork required.
  • Installation flexibility. Compact air handler units can be mounted on wall or ceiling.
  • Heating & cooling. Most mini-split units are designed to provide ductless air conditioning and heating.
  • Extremely efficient. Industry-leading ENERGY STAR®models are rated above 20 SEER; some models are as high as 26 SEER.
  • Easy & precise control. Battery-operated handsets enable you to adjust temperature, fan speed and other settings by remote control.
  • Speedy, hassle-free installation. A mini-split system can be completely installed in a day, with minimum disruption to interior spaces.

 

Easy installation, exceptional efficiency

A conventional forced-air system relies on a bulky ductwork system to distribute heated or cooled air throughout the living space. It can be difficult and expensive to retrofit large ductwork in an existing house. That’s why ductless heat pumps are a cost-effective solution for retrofit applications. Ductless mini-split heat pumps also eliminate problems caused by ducts that leak or lack sufficient insulation.

If you want to enjoy long-term savings on heating and air conditioning, make sure to consider installing a mini-split system. Unlike older heat pumps, the latest mini-split systems can provide efficient heat even in subfreezing temperatures. Today’s ENERGY STAR® mini-splits are more than twice as efficient as older heat pumps.

We provide repair and installation services for a wide range of heating systems to fit your needs.

Boiler/Radiant Heat

Radiant heating systems provide an efficient option for home heating

Radiant heating systems are so named because they transfer warmth by radiation, from one object to another. Unlike forced-air heating systems that warm a room quickly by filling it with heated air, radiant heating systems typically raise room-temperature more gradually. There are several different types of radiant heating for houses, but they all work on the same principle and offer the same advantages.

Radiant heating systems are often preferred when family members are prone to allergies and respiratory ailments. Unlike forced-air heating systems that can circulate dust and other airborne irritants, radiant heat doesn't require air to be blown around.

Whole-house radiant heating systems are often divided into different heating zones, giving homeowners control over what rooms get the most heat.

GeoFurnace Heating & Cooling, LLC can service your radiant heating system to ensure maximum efficiency. We will also provide a free quote for replacing an old, inefficient radiant heating system with a state-of-the-art system that will save money and improve comfort.

Types of radiant heating systems

  1. Hot water baseboard heating: Also known as hydronic baseboard heating, this is the most common type of radiant heating used in houses. Hot water supplied by a boiler is pumped into pipes in baseboard radiators, forcing cooled baseboard water back to the boiler for reheating. Closely spaced fins on the pipes promote heat radiation and also heat transfer by convection.
  2. Old-fashioned radiators: These bulky, upright radiators can still be found in some older houses. They were typically supplied with steam rather than with hot water. Because it takes more energy for a boiler to produce steam, these systems are not efficient. That's why they're usually replaced with modern hydronic baseboard radiators or compact, wall-mounted radiators.
  3. Radiant floor heating: All radiant heating systems depend on thermal mass as a means of storing and radiating heat. In a hydronic radiant heating system, water provides the mass. With radiant floor heating, the flooring material provides the thermal mass. With hydronic radiant floor heating, warm water circulates beneath the finished floor in long runs of plastic pipe. With electric radiant floor heating, electric heating cable is installed beneath the finished flooring. Electric radiant floor heating isn't practical as a whole-house heating system. Instead, it's most commonly used in bathrooms, beneath a tile floor.

Heated Radiant Floor System

Fall in love with Northern Michigan’s winter again

Have you ever felt the comfort of a radiant in-floor system on a cold Greater Traverse City winter day? If so, chances are that you would have a hard time giving it up. GeoFurnace Heating & Cooling, LLC customers are usually highly satisfied by radiant-in floor systems (and usually so are their pets.)

Radiant in-floor systems can be installed in new construction and often can be retro-fitted in an existing home as well. To get optimum comfort out of your radiant system engineering is crucial. GeoFurnace Heating & Cooling, LLC has the right systems and experienced engineering staff lined up for you. Radiant in-floor systems are highly compatible with a high efficiency boiler or geothermal system because of their low outgoing temperatures.