Geothermal Cost of Installation

How much does geothermal costs? 

For geothermal, the cost of installation is higher than it would be with other forms of energy. The exact figure, however, is something that you’ll have to consult with a professional with to find out. Some systems can be very expensive and others can be surprisingly affordable. There will be some differences depending upon where you live, how much of an underground loop you have to run and so forth. Of course, if you’re simply adding a new pump or other hardware to an existing loop, the costs will be considerably lower.

At the time of this writing, the average costs of a fully installed geothermal heat pump system is $6500 per ton.  This is typically twice as much as a conventional air source system but with federal tax credits a geothermal system is very practical.

Why is It Higher?

Geothermal costs are usually higher because of the ground loop installation. Simply put, this isn’t required with other forms of heating and cooling. The loop, however, happens to be the strength of geothermal energy. While it may cost a little bit more to install that ground loop initially, it tends to pay for itself in relatively short order, which is the reason that people go ahead and deal with the cost of installation for geothermal energy.

One of the reasons that the geothermal cost of installation is, in practice, actually lower is because of the longevity of the systems. When measured against other forms of heating and cooling, geothermal systems tend to have a longer lifespan. This means that the actual cost that you pay for the installation is distributed over a longer service life and, of course, that works out to less money paid for the system on the whole.

How Much Does Geothermal Cost Compared to Other Systems?

The actual cost of geothermal, beyond the cost of installation, will depend upon several factors. The same things that apply to the cost of any heating and cooling system will apply, such as how well your house is insulated and how modern the system of heat distribution you use happens to be. Most often, however, Homeowners will find that the geothermal cost of installation is quickly justified by the amount of savings they have in terms of reduced energy bills. Provided that your house is in good condition, you have a modern system and you are heating or cooling a reasonably sized area, you can count on vastly reduced bills compared to what you would pay for other forms of heating and cooling.

When you're asking yourself how much geothermal heating and cooling costs, you have to take into account the environmental costs, as well. Geothermal heating and cooling consumes no fossil fuels and it uses energy that is already present in the earth. What you are actually using, in part, is solar energy that is stored in the earth itself. This energy has already been generated and would simply go to waste if it wasn't tapped. While the actual cost of fossil fuels is usually not factored into their price, at least where environmental damage is concerned, the environmental friendliness of geothermal heating and cooling actually comes with the benefit of having a lower cost overall and of having no hidden costs in terms of damage it does to the environment, which can give you a great deal of peace of mind. 

by - Phillip Rye

Are you building a home and looking for information on how a geothermal heat pump can save you thousands? Visit my home design site at www.rye-homes.com for more information.

 

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