The Advantages of Geothermal
What are the advantages of a geothermal heat pump?
When evaluating a geothermal heat pump, it's important to look at all the benefits it provides:
Save Money
Heating, cooling, and getting some (or all) of your hot water from a geothermal heat pump costs less than a traditional HVAC system. If you chose to finance your geothermal system, it can be paid off with the money you'll save on utility costs.
Live More Comfortably
Water-to-water geothermal systems are amazingly quiet. They lower humidity levels and allow for zoning – so you can control the temperature of the areas you spend the most time in. Our systems are compatible with smart thermostats so you have control from anywhere.
Peace of Mind
Geothermal heat pumps do not use any fossil fuels, which improves air quality and removes the potential for harmful gas and oil leaks, carbon monoxide poisoning, and fires. With geothermal, you can eliminate fossil fuels in your home or building if desired.
Lifetime Savings on Heating and Cooling Bills
Geothermal systems will reduce monthly heating and cooling bills up to 50% over traditional HVAC systems. With geothermal, you do not have to worry about the volatile swings associated with fossil fuel costs.
Life Expectancy
The average life expectancy of a geothermal system is nearly 25 years compared to the 13 year average life expectancy of traditional furnaces and air conditioners. The ground loop powering the geothermal system lasts 100 years plus!
Low Maintenance
Geothermal systems have less maintenance costs when compared to traditional HVAC. This is due to geothermal equipment being kept indoors and not outside, exposed to the elements. Additionally, geothermal systems have fewer moving parts, which makes for less opportunity for a malfunction.
Hot Water Assist
With geothermal, home and building owners will experience 25% to 40% savings on hot water costs. How? An item within the unit, called the desuperheater, captures waste heat during operation and transfers it into the domestic hot water supply, providing hot water assist and enhancing the operation of the unit. Traditional HVAC does not have this option.
Increase Value of Home
Studies show that homes with energy-efficient features sell for as much as 40% more than expected. So, even if you aren't planning on staying in your home for the lifetime of the system, you can get more money for your home if it has a geothermal system in it, as opposed to an oil or gas furnace. Realtors also say homes with geothermal sell faster than homes without.
Peace of Mind
Geothermal systems are the safest HVAC system available. Unlike gas, oil, or propane furnaces, geothermal does not rely on fossil fuels at all. Because of this, there is NO combustion or harmful fuels, which removes the potential of carbon monoxide poisoning, oil and gas leaks, or fires.
Highest Efficiency Rating
Geothermal systems have an efficiency rating of up to 500%. An efficiency rating is the ratio of heat actually generated versus the amount of energy used to produce the heat. A rating of less than 100 percent means you are losing heat that you are paying for. This loss is typically caused by energy consumption required for the combustion process of a fossil fuel furnace. The most efficient natural gas furnaces cannot compete, at a rating of only 98%.
Most Environmentally Friendly
According to the EPA, geothermal systems are the most environmentally friendly way to heat and cool a structure, which makes them a perfect fit for net zero homes and buildings. Geothermal heat pumps rely on solar energy and use very little electricity. For every one unit of electricity used, a geothermal heat pump provides 4 units of heating/cooling for free by transferring heat from the ground to the structure and vice versa.
Financial Incentives
States, local municipalities, and utilities offer installation rebates, tax incentives, or low interest loans for geothermal heating and cooling systems. Find local incentives at dsireusa.org. In addition to the 26% federal tax credit for residential geothermal systems, NYSERDA offers direct rebates of approximately $2,000 per ton. At Advanced Radiant Design, we take care of all the paperwork necessary to get your rebate.
Backed by the Best Warranty in the Industry
Many heating and cooling brands claim they have the most thorough testing. Geocomfort, which is the brand we install, actually does. Each Geocomfort system is run and monitored before it arrives at your home. We stand behind our installations, and Geocomfort stands behind its equipment with the best warranty in the industry.