Bratcher Heating & Air Conditioning

Business Types: Contractors — Commercial, Contractors — Residential
Organizations: IGSHPA Accredited Installers

Leading Geothermal Contractor in Central Illinois

Do high heating bills frustrate you during the winter? Are you concerned about the impact that your home’s heating system may have on the health of the planet? A geothermal heat pump system may be a good investment for your home. Bratcher Heating and Air Conditioning is one of the leading installers of GeoComfort’s geothermal systems in the United States, and we can help you find the right system for your home.

What is Geothermal Heating & Cooling?

Geothermal systems, also called geothermal heat pumps or ground-source heat pumps, extract heat from the ground. As the sun shines down on the Earth, the dirt and rocks absorb heat from the sun’s rays. Although some of this heat radiates out into the atmosphere, a large portion of the heat is stored in the ground; a few feet underground, the temperature remains fairly constant between 45 and 70 degrees all year long. Geothermal systems take advantage of this constant temperature to heat and cool your home. Geothermal heat pumps work like air conditioners; however, instead of exchanging heat with the outside air, they exchange heat with the ground. During the winter, underground piping (a loop system) filled with a water solution absorbs ambient heat from the ground and transfers it to the geothermal system in your home, where it is condensed and circulated with the inside air to provide warmth. In the summer, geothermal systems reverse the process; they extract heat from your home and use the same underground loop system to carry it into the ground.

Benefits of Geothermal Heat Pumps

Geothermal systems offer several advantages over traditional furnaces and air conditioners.

• Greater Energy Efficiency – Geothermal systems are 4 to 5 times more efficient than traditional natural gas furnaces, so your energy costs will be much lower. Though many variables will determine actual savings, most homeowners can expect to see 30 to 70 percent lower heating and cooling costs.
• Longer Life Expectancy – Geothermal systems will provide consistent comfort for an average of 20 to 24 years, compared to 13 to 15 years for traditional systems.
• Environmentally Friendly – Geothermal systems provide the most environmentally friendly way of heating and cooling your home, per the United States Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. With geothermal, your home’s heating and cooling system won’t release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Over 20 years, the carbon reduction from installing a heat pump system is equivalent to planting more than 100,000 acres of trees.
• Lower Maintenance – Geothermal systems require less maintenance than other heating and air conditioning systems.
• Quieter operation – Geothermal systems do not require noisy outdoor units.
• Safe – your family won’t be exposed to the dangers of accidental fires or carbon monoxide poisoning.

Why Choose Bratcher for Geothermal?

At Bratcher Heating and Air Conditioning, we are experts at installing geothermal systems. We have partnered with GeoComfort to provide high-quality ground source heat pumps, and our technicians are among the most skilled in the country. We have extensive experience designing, installing and maintaining geothermal systems, and we can recommend the right unit for your unique situation.

For more information on GeoComfort and geothermal systems and how they can benefit you, please visit the GeoComfort website by clicking here.