Is A Geothermal Heating System Right For Me?

There are many types of equipment and systems available to provide heat for your home. Geothermal heating systems are just one of the options available for your home heating needs. A geothermal heating system utilizes heat stored within the earth to warm your home. So, how do you if a geothermal heat system is right for your home?

New construction or existing residence?

Geothermal heating systems use thermal energy from within the earth for use inside your home. In order to access warm spots underground, geothermal wells must be drilled. This can often be easily done when you're planning on building a home, because the lot can be assessed before the structure is in place. When adding geothermal heat systems for an existing home, the area where geothermal wells can be drilled is limited because of the structure. A geothermal heat system can be retrofitted for an existing home in most cases.

Your lot

The size of your yard is an important factor in deciding what kind of geothermal heating system is the right choice for heating your home. A horizontal loop field for a geothermal heating systems needs a lot of room to work with, for laying the underground loop which moves heat into your home. Some lots aren't large enough for the necessary components which make up a horizontal loop field. A vertical loop field for a geothermal heating systems needs very little room to work with, and could fit on most properties. All thought horizontal loop fields and vertical loop fields for geothermal heating systems have their advantages and disadvantage both are equally energy efficient ways to heat your home.

Your investment

The price of installing a geothermal heating system can be a shock to some homeowners, but most investigating this option are aware of the return on investment. Because of the underground installation mentioned above, it does cost more upfront to install a geothermal heat system than say, a natural gas furnace. Because of their high efficiency, geothermal heating systems allow homeowners to begin recouping their installation expenses immediately. When you aren't stuck paying high utility costs any longer, you'll see that your investment was worth the price. Plus, geothermal heating systems are low-maintenance, which isn't always the case with other types of heating systems.