If you want to upgrade your home's HVAC equipment, consider a geothermal heat pump system. Although these HVAC appliances cost more initially, they offer substantial ongoing energy and operational savings over the life of the equipment.
![geothermal heat pump system, Boston, Massachusetts](/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Geothermal-system.gif)
A geothermal heat pump offers these advantages for our climate:
- Low energy costs, winter and summer: Geothermal heat pump systems tap into the constant temperatures underground to deliver heated and cooled air for your home. Heat pumps do not use any fuel but electricity to exchange heat. In the winter, they use the naturally occurring heat underground or in the air to deliver heat efficiently. In fact, a geothermal system delivers 12,500 BTUs of cooling or heating energy using just 1 kilowatt of electricity, compared to 2.2 kilowatts for air-source heat pumps.
- Long operational life: A typical HVAC system has a life of 10 to 15 years. The underground loops for the geothermal systems have a life expectancy of 50 years and the above-ground parts can last up to 25 years or longer. The loops are made from highly durable high density polyethylene and since there's no sun exposure, there's little to damage them.
- Simpler maintenance: Maintaining a geothermal heat pump system is also easier, since it doesn't use an outdoor compressor that's exposed to the harsh weather in our climate. The indoor blower requires annual maintenance, as does all HVAC equipment.
Besides substantial energy savings, homeowners who install a qualifying geothermal heat pump can take advantage of a tax credit through 2016. The credit covers 30 percent of the cost of the system, including the installation, with no cap on the total cost.
Switching to a geothermal heat pump system is not a do-it-yourself project. HVAC contractors have to evaluate your yard and which type would work best for your situation. While yard size was a major issue in the past, these systems can be placed in small yards now, removing this limiting factor.
Rodenhiser Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning has served the Route 495/128 area for 80 years. Contact us to learn more about the many benefits of geothermal.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about geothermal heat pumps and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Solutions Guide.
Geothermal image via Shutterstock