Saturday 17 March 2012
Geothermal Systems - Affordable in the Long Run
Geothermal systems are an earth-friendly way to heat and cool your home or business that can be up to 400 times more efficient than conventional systems. Installing a geothermal system in an existing house or in new construction can be a wise investment that will pay off within just a few years, depending on the size and type of system you install and your heating and cooling needs.
Installing Geothermal Systems
When you install geothermal systems, you are required to drill into the earth and install a loop field. The amount of space required will depend upon the size of the premises that you are trying to heat and cool and the type of geothermal system that is best for your application. This is necessary because the system takes advantage of the fact that temperatures remain consistent underneath the earth, and thus less conditioning is required in order to achieve a desired level of heated or cooled air.
Drilling is just one of the costs of the installation- you also need to install a geothermal unit and, if you choose to benefit from the lower costs of hot water heating made possible by geothermal, you will need additional add-ons including a desuperheater. In most cases, taking advantage of geothermal's ability to heat your water using a desuperheater is a worthwhile investment as hot water is a significant expense in most homes. Geothermal lessens this cost by transferring heat taken from conditioned air in the summer, or other unneeded energy produced in the winter, and using that energy to preheat the water before it gets to your hot water heater.
Geothermal requires duct work just as any other traditional system does, so you will need to install this as well when you install geothermal systems in new construction. Since no special ductwork is required, this is not an added cost over a standard system. If you are retrofitting an existing building with geothermal, you typically will not need to make changes to the duct portion of your HVAC system.
The costs of geothermal, therefore, are largely in the costs of the drilling, the unit, the add-ons and the labor. Despite the fact that there may be a higher initial cost for geothermal than for a more conventional heating and cooling system, these costs are often offset within a few short years in savings on your heating, cooling and energy bills.
Further, there are typically tax credits available to help make geothermal more affordable. Some utility companies will also offer rebates or incentives for the installation of geothermal. When you add up all these tax credits and rebates, you may be looking at only a few thousand dollars more than the cost of a conventional system. With years of energy savings and reduced utility bills, the decision to spend that little bit of money becomes an easy one.
The key to installing geothermal systems, however, is to ensure you have a reliable and top quality installer who can help you to maximize the benefits. Check the installer's references and experience and be sure the installer is willing to answer any questions you have and explain to you how the system will work to benefit you.
Learn more about Advantages of Geothermal Energy and Geothermal Systems at: hpbuildingsolutions.com
Friday 16 March 2012
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