Kent Geothermal, Wind, & Solar Division Northwest Indiana Geothermal Specialist Wind Power - Solar Energy - Complete Energy Solutions Contractor since 1954 Geothermal Indiana Boring and Drilling Providing Geothermal, Wind, Solar, and Advanced Energy Solutions featuring complete Installation, Service, and Design Services in Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan since 1994 Kent Geothermal, Wind, and Solar is a division of Kent Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc., a second generation family-owned business established in 1954. Residential & Commercial Geothermal & Ground Loop Specialists featuring ClimateMaster Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems
This Website is a resource for homeowners, light commercial building owners, and contractors who want quality and service backed by a company with the integrity and reputation of consistently delivering advanced energy-saving solutions for over 55 years.
Building Contractor's tax deductions & Grants Click Here
Homeowners Check your state and federal tax Incentives Click Here
Green Technology - No fossil fuels needed (natural gas, propane)
Domestic hot water production
Geothermal Heat Pumps Make Sense for Homeowners and Contractors
Geothermal Ground Source heat pumps are one of the most efficient ways to heat and cool a home and provide domestic hot water in Northwest Indiana. More and more homeowners and contractors are discovering the benefits of these systems, which tap the relatively constant temperature of the earth a few feet underground. For both new homes and retrofit in existing homes, there is no need to remove your existing furnace with a Geothermal add-on unit.
Windspire by Mariah Power
Wind Power to Inspire "WINDSPIRE"
Vertical-Axes wind technology
maximizes energy conversion, regardless of wind speed or direction, from the wind into electric power provided to homes or businesses.
Windspire is a low-cost, low-noise, attractive wind power appliance. Manufactured entirely in the U.S. by Mariah Power, Windspire is a 30-foot tall, propeller-free, vertical-axis wind turbine designed for harnessing wind power in urban, suburban and rural locations. Windspire’s patented technology maximizes energy conversion from wind into electric power. For information, Click here
Geothermal Technology - A Solution to Rising Energy Costs?
Geothermal Tremendously fast-growing market for Residential Customers The geothermal market is growing, which comes as no surprise, given the reasons for this growth. Concern over rising energy costs and the subsequent search by consumers and business owners for less expensive energy alternatives to oil and natural gas to heat their homes and facilities is the driving force behind this growth.
At the same time, homeowners and facility managers, who are increasingly more conscious of their environment, are turning to green systems that have less impact on the environment than do traditional heating and cooling systems. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Geothermal technology is one of the best technologies available today. In fact, the installation of a geothermal system represents one of the easiest ways to help a commercial property owner secure Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
Geothermal heat pump technology taps into the moderate temperatures found just a few feet below the earth's surface, and uses this relatively constant, renewable energy source for heating, cooling and domestic hot water production. A water-based, environmentally friendly solution is circulated through a closed loop system of underground tubing designed specifically for earth loop applications.
During the heating season the solution absorbs the heat from the earth and transfers it to the geothermal unit(s) in the building where the heat is absorbed by a refrigeration system. Using refrigerant-to-air technology, the heat is distributed throughout the building via an air duct distribution system. During the cooling season the process is reversed, extracting the heat from inside the building and replacing it with cool, dehumidified air.
Homeowners who install geothermal systems realize many of the same benefits commercial facilities enjoy, including federal, state, and local tax incentives, lower monthly operating costs for heating, cooling, and domestic hot water heating, enhanced comfort and humidity control, quiet and reliable operation, and having an environmentally friendly system.
Kent's Geothermal Division installs many of the ground closed loop geothermal systems every year in Northwest Indiana Geothermal applications, and the number continues to rise. We believe geothermal and wind technology is so vitally important to America's future that we continue our commitment to educating consumers and the general public as witnessed by our participation in over 9 home shows in 2009 alone.
A home that uses a geothermal system is up to 72 percent more efficient depending on the price of fuel and where the home is located. These are a few of the benefits we provide to homeowners.
We are seeing sales of geothermal systems grow in both the existing home and light commercial markets, as well as the new construction market.
Government Incentives - Geothermal: The federal government offers homeowners and/or builders tax credits of 30% with no limit on qualifying geothermal systems that meet or exceed required energy efficiency standards. Homeowners in Indiana may qualify for property tax credits or property tax exemptions when they install geothermal systems. Government also provides incentives to commercial property owners who specify geothermal systems for their buildings. Check with your local county, city, and state government offices for details, as well as your tax professional.
Government Incentives - Wind Power Generators: The federal government offers new and exisitng homeowners and builders tax credits of 30% with no limit on qualifying wind turbines, such as the Windspire vertical-axes unit we offer, and solar generating systems, too!
Please Educate Yourself
Certified Installation Only: Most HVAC Contractors getting into geothermal are not familiar with local codes and state regulations that pertain to geothermal systems, and are not certified by geothermal manufacturers. Many states regulate the installation of loop fields to Certified Installers, including how the earth loops are backfilled.
Properly Sized Geothermal Systems: What we frequently observe in the field are geothermal systems which are undersized for the required heating and cooling load on a home or building. This can result in unexpected high energy bills, premature system failure, frequent costly service calls, and comfort problems in the home or building.
The educated consumer will confirm the installing contractor has performed an ACCA Manual J heat loss/gain calculation, has designed the earth loop for proper required length and heat transfer, and has properly sized the geothermal unit, such as the ClimateMaster unit we recommend, based on the above data. This is a critical step, and one that Kent Heating and Air Conditioning's Geothermal and Wind Division has consistenty done since inception. Our customers deserve nothing less than a reliable ClimateMaster Geothermal System that performs at an optimum level for many years of comfort.
A Sealed Duct System is Imperative: Many states and local municipalities are now regulating the proper sizing, installation, and sealing of duct systems in homes and commercial buildings. Duct systems should be air-tight, and should not allow dangerous, unhealthy, energy-wasting infiltration from an attic, crawlspace, garage, or unfinished basement to enter the home or building. We routinely see geothermal systems that are operating on expensive, emergency electric back-up strip heat prematurely because the duct system is improperly sized for geothermal applications, and the duct system is pulling cold/hot air from an attic, for instance, thereby decreasing the capacity of the system to properly condition the home. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy states that "typical duct systems lose 25 to 40 percent of the energy put out by the central furnace, heat pump or air conditioner." We seal duct systems with duct sealant/mastic, and do not use aluminum and grey cloth duct tape, which comes loose and dries out. The only thing duct tape does not work on is ductwork!
Kent's Geothermal Division is certified in all aspects of geothermal design, installation, and service. This is an important step in the installation and operation of geothermal systems, and we bring our services to you with the utmost professionalism, open communication, reliability and 24/365 service.
As Geothermal Manufacturer ClimateMaster keeps pace with the increased demand for geothermal systems, the company continues to improve the systems it offers. ClimateMaster's Tranquility 27 series is the first geothermal system to offer a 27 to 31 energy efficiency ratio (EER), the highest efficiency rating in the market. This compares to ratings in the mid-20s for most geothermal systems, and a 13 to 14 seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) for non-geothermal systems.
The ClimateMaster Tranquility 27 system uses a single two-speed Copeland Compliant Scroll Compressor to provide the correct amount of heating and cooling to a home. The wide range of product capacities available from ClimateMaster addresses the diverse needs of a variety of applications. Geothermal is really a global technology that takes us around the world.
In fact, Europe embraced geothermal technology before the United States, most likely as the result of higher energy costs there. Today, according to the European Union, ground source heat pump installation is up by 20 percent.
Geothermal systems definitely are a significant investment for consumers and building owners. However, heating and cooling costs are projected to continue to rise, and people are learning about the technology and recognizing the benefits it offers. In fact, there is no other comparable geothermal system with a 20 plus year life expectancy, and the closed earth loop comes with a 10 year parts and labor warranty. There is no other system that offers a lower life-cycle cost than geothermal. It's exciting to "Go Green!" and be part of a worldwide industry that promotes a responsible, energy-efficient technology that is also good for the environment and your comfort needs.
Thank you for visiting us!
Allen Kent, President, CGP
Worlds Largest Manufacturer of Water Source Heating & Cooling - Hot Water Systems
Geothermall, Wind, and Solar Division Kent Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. 906 Roosevelt Road, Valparaiso IN 46383
