18 - Friday, November 11, 1988 - North Shore News LIFESTYLES6 Heat pumps draw free energy from the earth THE EARTH under our feet is an inexhaustible source of heat energy, even in the severest Cana- dian winters. Continually replenished by the sun, this energy can satisfy the year-round heating, cooling and hot water requirements for a typi- cal single family home. In most regions of Canada, the surface of the earth freezes during winter months. But a few feet telow the earth remains relatively constant throughout the year. Using a proven and reliable technology known as earth energy heat pumps, this low grade heat (between -2°C and 10°C) can be recovered and upgraded to provide space and water heating for an en- tire household. In the summer, the system can be reversed to cool the home, with the recovered energy used for domestic water heating or to heat a swimming pool. Earth energy heat pumps are growing in popularity across Canada. In addition to enabling homeowners to tap into a free source of energy, heat pumps are quiet and offer long life and low maintenance costs. They also enable Canada to conserve valuable fossil fueis, at the same time eliminating the harmful environmental impacts associated with burning these fuels. Earth energy heat pumps can ex- tract heat either directly from the ground or from water in the ground. Water or antifreeze is used as the means of transferring energy from or to the ground. Heat pumps upgrade the earith’s energy by circulating a refrigerant gas through an evaporation and SOFA AN This is our contemporary style condensation cycle. A compressor pumps the refrigerant between two heat ex- changers, one of which is in con- tact with the earth energy source and the other with the home’s heating ducts. In the first heat ex- changer, the refrigerant evaporates into a gas as it absorbs heat from its surroundings (liquid from the ground loop). The refrigerant then passes through a compressor where its pressure and temperature are rais- ed to a level suitable for space heating. From the compressor, the refrigerant moves to the second heat exchanger, where heat is removed and pumped into the home. As the heat is extracted, the refrigerant reverts to a liquid. It then passes through an expansion valve where its temperature and Pressure are dropped further be- fore it is returned to the first heat exchanger, where it begins the cy- cle again. Many earth energy systems incorporate an additional heat exchanger to provide water heating. In the summer, the flow of the refrigerant is reversed, causing heat to be extracted from house- hold air and released into the domestic hot water system. The system thus acts as a central air conditioner in summer and as a heat source in winter. As their name implies, ground- source heat pumps (also known as closed-loop systems) recover heat directly from the ground. In these systems, a loop of special plastic pipe is buried in the ground and connected to a heat: pump on the surface. An antifreeze solution which has been chilled by the heat pump is circulated through the sealed loop, absorbing heat from the ground around the pipe. Closed-loop types can be install- ed either horizontally or vertically. The length of the pipe will depend on several factors, including the capacity of the heat pump, the type and temperature of the soil, climate conditions, and a number of other variables. In horizontal installations, the pipes are placed in trenches about 3 m deep. On average, 150 to 180 m of pipe are required per tonne of heat pump capacity. The vertical installation method involves drilling a bore hole in the See Heat Page 19 ‘Winter's Coming—Buy Now! @p Regency He tadhaebat *North Shore a Regency Dealer Ee LOVESEAT (Chair is also available) FACTORY AUTHORIZED sofa & loveseat with inviting pillow back and high density super sofa seat cushions. Choose from a variety of fabrics to match any decor. Many more Living room Suites to choase from at greatly discounted prices. ilk Plants and Trees Standard and ears Buy direct from the Factory and SAVEI* FACTORY OUTLET 2206 Douglas Rd., Burnaby {2 buildings east of Thunderbird) [Phone # 299-3172 STOP= Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 9.m. HOURS: Sun., Noon-5 p.m. What place has 3 million people and 50 million sheep? ANSWER: New Zealand QUESTION: What do they do down there? ANSWER: They make fabulous Bremworth wool carpet. QUESTION: Where can I get some of this wondertul wool carpet? ANSWER: Burritt Bros... and it’s not that expensive ...in fact the whole selection is on sale right now... Bremworth Wool from just 29.80 scqruare yard.