Gone are the days when the options for heating and cooling your home were limited to a furnace and central AC. Heat pump technology has given homeowners in Chickasha and Duncan a number of new choices with advanced technology. Read out seven reasons to make the switch to geothermal here.
When you think of heat pumps, you’re likely thinking of air source heat pumps, like ductless mini-splits. These HVAC systems efficiently transfer heat to and from the air outside your home to keep your indoors comfortable.
But did you know that geothermal heating and cooling can actually be an even greater energy resource for your home? In contrast to air source heat pumps, geothermal heat pumps work through ground loop piping buried in your backyard, deep enough where ground temperatures stay consistent all year. If you already know about the basics of geothermal technology, here’s something you might be interested in: 7 of the different ways you can benefit from the year-round home heating and cooling of geothermal energy.
1. LOWER ENERGY BILLS
Geothermal heat pump systems are incredibly efficient, even compared to air source heat pumps. According to the EPA, geothermal systems use 25-50% less electricity than a standard heating and cooling system, and homeowners will usually recoup the cost of their investment in a new system in just 2 to 10 years. That’s serious money to be saved!
2. BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Geothermal systems, also called ground source heat pumps, run completely on electricity. You won’t use any fossil fuels to keep your home warm in the winter, and by upgrading to geothermal, you’ll be lowering your home’s carbon footprint at the same time that you’re saving money.
3. RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE
Geothermal heat pumps don’t generate heat—they simply transfer it from where it already exists in the ground. Geothermal energy is renewable because the ground will continue to be heated (primarily via solar energy) through renewable sources.
4. QUIET OPERATION
Geothermal air conditioning and heating systems are unique in large part because much of the equipment is buried in the ground outside, which offers natural sound insulation. Without an outdoor component cycling on and off next to your house, operation will be so quiet that you might just forget your geothermal energy system is running!
5. FEWER REPAIRS
Another significant factor when homeowners are weighing geothermal energy pros and cons is that geothermal systems typically require less maintenance and need fewer repairs than the average heating and cooling system. This doesn’t mean that you’ll never have an issue come up with your new HVAC system, but if you had even half as many headaches with your geothermal than you do with your furnace and AC, wouldn’t that be a huge benefit?
6. LONGER LIFESPAN
Geothermal takes a little more effort to install than many traditional HVAC systems—after all, you have to dig up the ground near your home to install the pipes. The good news is that geothermal systems have a long lifespan—as much as 30 years for the system, and 50 years for the ground loop. Compare that to the 15 years you’ll get with a well-maintained furnace.
7. SAFER THAN COMBUSTION HEATING SYSTEMS
Finally, geothermal installation creates a safe indoor environment for your family. Did you know that carbon monoxide poisoning is responsible for more than 400 deaths every year in the United States? CO leaks from an improperly working combustion furnace can be quite dangerous for your home, but geothermal doesn’t require combustion fuels to operate, offering a safe and healthy HVAC alternative for your home.
DEHART CAN HELP YOU SAVE EVEN MORE WITH GEOTHERMAL TAX CREDITS
Thinking about the geothermal heating costs for your home, and wondering whether upgrading to a new HVAC system is in your best financial interest? At DeHart Heating and Air Conditioning, we can walk you through the potential savings you’ll save on your heating and cooling bills in your home with our geothermal consultations, and we’ll also help you understand the many incentives available when you upgrade to geothermal, including the geothermal tax credit, which offers a tax credit of up to 26% off your geothermal installation costs.