Cool your Home using the Backyard Pool
The Arizona Republic recently reported that Shea Homes is offering a geothermal cooling and heating system that it developed with Shasta Pools using equipment from Waterfurnace International. The newspaper says that the system uses pool water, roughly 10 to 25 degrees cooler than summer air temperatures, and a heat exchanger to more efficiently cool a home. Shea and Shasta estimate the energy savings at 30 to 70 percent over conventional systems.
Geothermal systems are more common in the eastern and north-eastern parts of the US where climates are naturally colder and such a system can tap in to the heat from under ground. However, Scottsdale green building manager Anthony Floyd notes that geothermal systems using negative edge swimming pools are starting to show up in custom homes in Scottsdale.
At a cost of $8000 to $10,000 for the system it takes a few years to recover the cost through energy savings. But with $300 – $400 air conditioning bills common during the hot summer months in Arizona this innovative product might just have found a “sweet spot” in the Arizona market with consumers looking more than ever for ways to save on monthly expenses.
