1. Up-Front Costs vs. ROI
No two ways about it: replacing your existing HVAC system with a geothermal heating and cooling system is an expensive proposition. Up-front costs here in Atlanta can run anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 – or more. Lot size, site accessibility, system configuration, ground conditions, and other factors account for that. So too does the amount of excavation that has to be done and what sort of ductwork modifications are needed. And if you’re having a new home built? It’s not as budget-busting, overall, but it’ll still cost around 40 percent more than a conventional HVAC system will cost you.
Okay, we’ve dispensed with the bad news. Let’s tune in now to the good news. To begin with, certain incentives and rebates may be available at the federal, state and local level to help you bear the installation costs. Then, too, the energy savings you could realize with your new geothermal heating and cooling system will start paying back your initial investment relatively quickly. So you could recoup your investment in as little as four years. But understand: Local utility rates and the end cost of your installation may hold up full repayment for, oh, say 15 years. Since geothermal systems often endure for upwards of 30 or 50 years, though, you’ll still make out all right. You merely have to figure out at the start what your finances can weather … and how patient you are.
2. Geothermal Benefits Can Easily Override Any Anxieties About Up-Front Costs
Allow us to cite the major benefits:
- Compared to typical heating and cooling systems, geothermal heating and cooling could lop as much as 30 to 60 percent off your heating bills. And it could lower your cooling costs by as much as 20 to 50 percent.
- Geothermal systems use renewable energy – heat taken from the ground.
- Geothermal heat pumps don’t work by combustion, so there are no greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, etc.) and no fire safety or air quality concerns.
- Given that no outdoor fans or compressors are necessary, geothermal heating and cooling systems are much quieter than typical, run-of-the-mill systems.
- Since there aren’t many moving parts at all and geothermal systems are protected from the elements, you’re pretty much guaranteed many decades of low-maintenance, top-performance use. Indoor components may last about 30 years, ground loops, about 50.
Looking for more information on any of these issues in order to make a decision about your heating and cooling options? Consult with the Atlanta geothermal pros at EcoMech. We’re eager to help, regardless of what you decide.