Before my husband and I built our home, we researched all different types of heating and cooling systems.
- The weather in our area includes very cold and snowy winters along with hot and humid summers.
We require just about year round temperature control. Heating and cooling add up to about 50% of our household energy draw. We were looking for a system that would minimize our environmental impact as well as our utility bills. We checked out furnaces, boilers and conventional air conditioners but eventually decided to spend more on a geothermal heat pump. The investment was significantly higher because of the excavation necessary to install the underground loop system. This loop takes advantage of the renewable energy source of energy found below ground, absorbing heat and transferring it into the house. This process avoids the burning of fossil fuels and the production of greenhouse gasses and carbon monoxide. It generates four times the amount of energy as the system needs to operate, achieving a 400% efficiency rating. In the summer, the geothermal system reverses operation to pull heat out of the house and create a cooling effect. With a minor upgrade, the system produces virtually all of our hot water for free. We’ve saved so much money on our utility bills that we’ve paid for the geothermal system in under five years. We also get to enjoy perfect comfort and superior indoor air quality. The Environmental Protection Agency considers geothermal temperature control as the most environmentally friendly option on the market. We are happy to minimize our carbon footprint and do our part to protect our planet.
electric fireplace