In addition to designing, installing, and servicing conventional HVAC systems in homes and business throughout the Grand Strand, Carolina Temperature Control also offers an alternative heating and cooling system that’s been met with virtually 100 percent customer satisfaction for nearly 30 years.
Geothermal heating and cooling systems involve exchanges with the heat of the earth rather than the air above ground. Geothermal pipes are installed underground and work with a heat pump inside the home, rather than the traditional system that relies on a fan and coil both on the outside of the home and the inside.
“Instead of having that coil outside that’s subjected to weather conditions,” Cabanaw said, “we put pipe in the ground. With the geo-pipe in the ground, basically you’re just trading energy because in our area, the ground is a consistent 68-72 degrees. So, you’re taking energy from the ground and putting it in the home.”
Because the earth avoids the extreme fluctuations experienced in air temperature, the pump works much less, resulting in lower electricity bills and more consistent comfort within the home. Geothermal is known for providing better temperature control and moisture removal in the summer and warmer temperatures than a conventional heat pump in the winter.
After Cabanaw first experimented with geothermal heating and cooling in his own home, he began plans to offer it commercially.
“We went through several brands, and we zeroed in on WaterFurnace because both our service technicians and installers said, ‘That’s the brand,’ and we’ve been doing WaterFurnace ever since. It’s the best of the best,” said Cabanaw.
Carolina Temperature Control has completed geothermal projects in homes of all sizes throughout the Grand Strand.
“It can be cost effective; we have installed geothermal systems for homes in the Historic District in Charleston, to 18,000 sq. ft. oceanfront homes in Georgetown, to modular homes in Conway,” said Cabanaw. “We’ve installed floor warming, pool heating, cooling, dehumidification, and air conditioning in a garage floor so the owner can park his cars in the garage, as it keeps humidity under control.”
The results, Cabanaw said, are consistent.
“’It’s the most comfortable I’ve ever been in my home’ – you hear that a lot from customers” said Cabanaw. “You don’t hear it run, you don’t feel it run; it’s just running and you’re comfortable and you don’t even realize it.”
While the initial installation of a geothermal system is higher than a conventional system, tax credits and immediate savings on utility bills quickly make up the difference.
“It can be twice the cost of a conventional high-end system, but this year there are tax credits that add up to 51 percent of the cost,” said Cabanaw. “And the system is easily 40 percent more efficient than a traditional heat pump, so those bills come way down.
“Geothermal has been fantastic,” said Cabanaw. “We’ve done close to 2,000 installations, and people love it.”
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