What Are the Benefits of a Geothermal Heat Pump?

Much lower operating costs than other systems. A geothermal heat pump will immediately save you ultrageothermal.com 30 to 60 percent on your heating and 20 to 50 percent on your cooling costs over conventional heating and cooling systems.

Uses clean, renewable energy (the sun). With a geothermal heat pump, there’s no onsite combustion and therefore no emissions of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide or other greenhouse gases. Nor are there any combustion-related safety or air quality issues inside the house. (The pump unit does use electricity, which may be generated using fossil fuels.)

Can be installed in new construction and retrofit situations. However, it’s a lot more expensive in retrofits requiring ductwork modifications.
Much quieter than other cooling systems. There’s no noisy outdoor compressor or fan. The indoor unit is generally as loud as a refrigerator.

Low maintenance and long-lived. The indoor components typically last about 25 years (compared with 15 years or less for a furnace or conventional AC unit) and more than 50 years for the ground loop. The system has fewer moving parts and is protected from outdoor elements, so it requires minimal maintenance.

What Are the Downsides of a Geothermal Heat Pump?
Not a DIY project. Sizing, design and installation require pro expertise for the most efficient system.
Still relatively new. That means fewer installers and less competition. which is why prices remain high.
Installation is highly disruptive to the landscape. It may not even be possible on some lots. Heavy drilling or digging equipment will definitely crush your prize petunias.

Is Geothermal Right for You?
About 100,000 geothermal cooling and heat pumps are installed in the United States each year. According to Bob Donley, customer support manager at GeoSystems LLC in Minnesota, interest in geothermal HVAC is really on the rise.

A few factors to consider that could make your home a fit for a geothermal HVAC system:

Can stomach the upfront costs and plan to stay in your house for at least four to seven years (new construction) or 10 to 12 years (retrofit) to recoup initial costs through energy/cost savings.
Live on a large lot with a pond or a well. This would allow you to use a less expensive loop system (see Figure D).

Are building a new house and can roll the upfront costs right into the mortgage. You’ll be saving on heating and cooling costs on day one.
Have an existing house with high energy bills. This most likely means you currently use propane, oil or electricity for heating and geothermal cooling.