Basics of Home Geothermal Systems

Is geothermal heating and cooling worth it? Learn the basics of home geothermal systems and decide if it's right for you.

article image
by Adobestock/fizkes

Is geothermal heating and cooling worth it? Learn the basics of home geothermal systems and decide if it’s right for you.

Though they don’t make any noise themselves, geothermal heating and cooling systems are booming these days as architects and homeowners recognize the wisdom in this decades-old, fossil fuel-independent technology. Once used mainly in commercial buildings, these efficient and durable systems are now installed in about 50,000 U.S. homes each year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

“Many people think geothermal is a new technology, which makes builders and homeowners reluctant to use it,” says Jim Bose, executive director of the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA), a nonprofit that promotes ground source heat pump technology. “Actually, it’s an idea that’s more than 150 years old.”

Though geothermal systems can have a high upfront cost, savings in operating costs usually mean the systems pay for themselves in less than a decade. Most systems carry a 50-year warranty and operate at 50 to 70 percent higher efficiency than most other heating systems. As geothermal’s history of documented research and reliability grows, the technology will develop too, says Bose, who has worked in the geothermal industry since the 1970s. New tax incentives and rebates will drive residential use over the next five years, he predicts.

Geothermal basics

  • Updated on Nov 5, 2022
  • Originally Published on Oct 7, 2010
Tagged with: clean energy, geothermal, home heating and cooling
Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368