GrimmHeatingCooling

Geothermal heating and air conditioning, contrary to popular belief, has been around for more than
35 years. It was only until energy costs started soaring that it came to the forefront of the media and
people looking at lowering their utility bills.

What is a "geothermal" system? It takes advantage of the Earth's ability to store vast amounts of
heat in the soil ("geo" means earth and "thermal" refers to heat). This heat energy is maintained at a
constant temperature (50°F to 70°F depending on latitude) in the soil and near-surface rocks. In
Illinois, the soil maintains a 50°F temperature beginning approximately four feet down, well past the
winter frost line.

Geothermal heating systems, also called ground-source heat pumps, "capture" this steady supply of
heat energy and "move" it from the Earth and through a home or building. Basically, once installed, a
home or building owner will use much less energy, save money each month, and reduce the amount
of pollution produced by fossil fuel systems.

How does this work? A heat pump is a mechanical device that transfers heat from one source to
another. Ground-source units pull heat from the earth and transfer it to homes or buildings. Heat
pumps (despite their name) can provide both heating and cooling. The cooling process is simply the
reverse of the heating process: heat is taken out of a building and returned to the Earth.

Typical ground-source heat pumps transfer heat using a network of tubes, called "closed loops."
Basically, the loops are filled with either water, refrigerant or an anti-freeze solution. They run through
the ground in the vicinity of a building and the liquid absorbs the Earth's heat energy. Then, this
warmed liquid is pumped back through the system into the building. This process provides heat to
the building space. Once the fluid passes through the building and transfers its energy, it flows
through the loop system back to the Earth and the process repeats itself.

In the summertime, these systems "reverse" into cooling mode. Technically, the system does not
"run backwards." Instead, a series of valves enables the system to switch the "hot" side and the
"cold" side. The heat from the building is transferred to the liquid in the loop and this liquid is
pumped back into the ground. When the ground source heat pump is in cooling mode, it usually has
an excess of warmed liquid in the system. This liquid can heat water for the building and
basically eliminate the use of the hot water heater during the summer months

Grimm Heating and Air Conditioning takes special pride in the invitation to work in
your new home. Whether it's a small service matter or the installation of a new system,
Grimm's goes the extra mile to ensure your satisfaction and comfort.

Some of our standard, no charge extras and values are spelled out in the Service Packages
area, click on the top navigation button labled Service Packages to see what we provide
FREE with each installation! This package of extras is what makes us the best value for your
money, and it's part of every Grimm installation. With this package supporting your
investment, your family can be assured a safe, long lasting system for years to come.

Our technicians are clean-cut, uniformed, and on call 24 hours a day to take care of your
needs. Their experience and abilities are unmatched, and their first priority is to service your
system and needs, not just change out parts or sell you new equipment.