Regardless of whether you’re constructing a new home or updating your present home, the determination to go with either a conventional HVAC system or geothermal heating and cooling can be a hard one. It’s seldom the case that Burlington homeowners don’t recognize the positive aspects of geothermal. What’s to disparage, after all, about a system that heats and cools your home naturally without fossil fuels and combustion, that has hardly any mechanical parts, that demands little maintenance, that can keep on functioning efficiently for 30 to 50 years or better, and that can cut energy bills by as much as 70 percent or more?
No, homeowners’ initial reservations about going geothermal usually involve these five fears:
- Fear of High Up-Front Costs.
- Fear of “Too Little Too Late” Return on Investment.
- Fear That the Technology Remains “Unproven.”
- Fear That Geothermal Heating and Cooling May Not Be the Right Alternative.
- Fear of Limited Dealer Support and Service.
Let’s look at these fears individually.
Fear of High Up-Front Costs. This isn’t competely baseless; geothermal’s up-front costs are high, particularly when you consider the installation of ground loops. But given the life of a geothermal system – significantly longer than the life of typical heating and cooling systems, to be sure! – opting for geothermal is an investment in long-term energy efficiency and comfortable living. You’d swap out a new boiler, for instance, at least once before you’d find it necessary to fix or replace any component of a geothermal system. Besides that, with a traditional system, you’re paying for electricity from the grid or for oil to burn, and those costs are spiraling upwards continually. Geothermal energy is renewable energy that saves you money in the short term and boosts the resale value of your home in the long term.
Fear of “Too Little Too Late” Return on Investment. The return on investment in most geothermal systems is at least 10 percent. What this says is that, for each and every dollar you invest, you’ll save 10 percent a year for as long as you keep your system. The savings will commence as soon as it’s operational, too.
Fear That the Technology Is Still “Unproven.” The fact is, modern geothermal technology has proven itself many times over in inumerable installations here in Burlington, across the country, and around the world since first introduced in the late 1940s. Considerations such as the rising demand for renewable energy and efficient, cost-effective space-conditioning systems have contributed to making the geothermal industry one of the fastest-growing in the 21st century. Clearly, ever more dwindling numbers of homeowners are apprehensive about opting for a geothermal system. They’re finding geothermal technology far more efficient and reliable than run-of-the-mill high-efficiency gas furnaces and whole-house air conditioners.
Fear That Geothermal Heating and Cooling Might Not Be the Best Alternative. Financial considerations are definitely of consequence here. You’d be best advised to compare renewable-energy technology with that using traditional energy sources and appraise the total costs and ROI of each. Provided your home occupies enough land area to accommodate the ground loops, geothermal will no doubt prove the best alternative – for the reasons given above.
Fear of Limited Dealer Support and Service. We can put an end to this fear right here and now. Crabbe Service is a highly regarded Burlington geothermal dealer, installer, and service provider. We’ll work personally with you from the beginning, and we’ll be there to take care of your geothermal system’s every maintenance and service demand for as long as you own it.
In the final analysis, the only thing you should really fear is not being able to enjoy all the comfort, efficiency, energy-bill savings, and peace of mind a geothermal heating and cooling system provides. Contact the geothermal experts at Crabbe Service today!