Geothermal System Nears Fourth Decade of Performance
After 37 Years, Miami Homeowner’s Geothermal Heat Pump Still Going Strong
In the summer of 1977, Don McDermott sought a replacement for the air conditioning system in his 1,400-square-foot Miami home. Having worked at a consulting engineering firm where he was able to research the latest in mechanical system technologies, including those related to the concept of heat recovery, McDermott was open to an out-of-the-box HVAC solution.
“At the time, there wasn’t a whole lot out there about geothermal systems, other than the fact they were very energy efficient,” McDermott said. “To me, the system appealed to common sense, especially with what was going on in the U.S. in regard to the energy crisis. Then, much like today, we couldn’t afford to generate more and more heat only to be dumped into the atmosphere.