Ralph Garber, Garber Heating & Cooling

Ralph Garber has been meeting the heating and cooling needs of Central Illinois since 1972. His experience and integrity have made him one of the area's oldest and most trusted source for information and installation. Brent Braker and Tim Mueller (photo) serve as a second generation of experts committed to serving the tri-county area with exceptional service and products. Garber Heating & A/C, Inc. is the only Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer in Central Illinois. Garber's Morton office includes a 3000 square foot custom sheetmetal shop and experienced technicians on call 24 hours a day to work on any type of equipment you may have. Find out more online at www.garberheating.com

What is geothermal?

Geothermal systems capture energy from the earth by using a series of pipes buried in the ground. For heating, fluid circulates through the loop and heat energy is transferred from the ground to the fluid and then to the geothermal unit located in the home. To provide cooling, the process simply reverses. Heat is removed from the home and transferred to the earth loop fluid. As the warm fluid travels through the loop in the earth, it is cooled. In cooling, the earth serves as a place to deposit the heat removed from the home resulting in cool, dry air.

How efficient is a geothermal system?

A geothermal system is more than three times as efficient as the most efficient ordinary system. Because geothermal systems do not burn fossil fuels to make heat, they provide three to four units of energy for every one unit used to power the system.

Do geothermal systems require much maintenance?

No. Geothermal systems are virtually maintenance free. When installed properly, the buried loop will last for generations. And the other half of the operation – the unit's fan, compressor and heat pump – is housed indoors, protected from harsh weather. Periodic checks and filter changes are the only required maintenance.

What does it take to become a Factory Authorized Dealer?

To become Factory Authorized, our service technicians and installers must meet continuing training standards, and our sales team must meet criteria established by Carrier to have a greater understanding and knowledge of the products offered by us. We also must maintain a customer satisfaction index of a certain rating that is checked and updated by Carrier who surveys our customers. There are many requirements we must meet and upon doing that, Carrier is willing to go the extra step and provide us with more help in serving our customers and providing them with the best possible experience with Garber's and Carrier.

Got a question? Ask the Experts!

Experts Online is a general information source only. Always consult a professional about your particular situation before following the advice given here. WEEK-TV and Granite Broadcasting Corporation take no responsibility for the opinions expressed here nor do they represent the opinions of WEEK-TV and Granite Broadcasting. Experts have paid a promotional fee.