Explore the Savings Geothermal Energy Can Provide

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For those seeking to cut their home energy bills and to do more to protect the planet, the answer to their search may be in their own back yard. Geothermal energy, or using the heat stored in the earth itself, is increasingly being looked at as a way to efficiently heat and cool the home.

What is Geothermal Energy?

The geothermal energy solutions Martensdale IA residents can tap into is located in the top 10 feet of the soil, where about half of the sun’s energy is absorbed by the Earth. The ground in this zone maintains a constant temperature of between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit all year round.

Homeowners can take advantage of this by installing a geothermal heat pump, which will both heat and cool their home. The heat pump is hooked to a heat exchanger, which consists of a series of pipes placed in a loop pattern underground, either horizontally or vertically. Heat is removed from the house to the heat exchanger during the summer and moved from the underground piping to the house during the winter through a duct system.

Installation and its Costs and Savings

Retrofitting an existing home to run on geothermal energy can be a costly proposition. Installing a system in a 2,500-square-foot home with a heating and cooling load of 60,000 BTU each could cost up to $25,000. Most of the added cost as compared with a conventional system comes from the installation of the underground pipe loop.

However, the investment can be well worth the cost. Geothermal units run at about 500 percent efficiency and can save as much as 80 percent on cooling, heating, and hot water costs.

Learn more about the savings you can experience with a geothermal system by contacting the pros at Gilbert Home Comfort Inc. We are the experts in geothermal energy solutions Martensdale IA trusts.