No matter if you’re building a new home or upgrading your present home, the choice to go with either a traditional HVAC system or geothermal heating and cooling can be a difficult one. It’s seldom the case that Atlanta people don’t grasp the positive aspects of geothermal. What’s to dismiss, after all, about a system that heats and cools your home naturally without fossil fuels and combustion, that has only a small number of mechanical parts, that needs little maintenance, that can keep on functioning efficiently for 30 to 50 years or so, and that can cut energy bills by as much as 70 percent or more?
No, homeowners’ initial concerns about going geothermal often entail 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 Meager Dealer Support and Service.
Let’s review these fears individually.
Fear of High Up-Front Costs. This isn’t competely without basis; geothermal’s up-front costs are high, especially regarding the installation of ground loops. But given the life of a geothermal system – far longer than the life of standard heating and cooling systems, to be sure! – choosing geothermal is an investment in long-term energy efficiency and comfortable living. You’d replace a new boiler, for instance, at least once before you’d need to overhaul or replace any part of a geothermal system. In addition, with a traditional system, you’re paying for electricity from the grid or for oil to burn, and those expenditures are mounting all the time. Geothermal energy is renewable energy that saves you money in the short term and maximizes 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 tells you is that, for each dollar you invest, you’ll save 10 percent yearly for as long as you have your system. The savings will commence as soon as it’s operational, too.
Fear That the Technology Remains “Unproven.” The truth is, modern geothermal technology has proven itself many times over in various installations here in Atlanta, across the nation, and around the world since first introduced in the late 1940s. Factors such as the ever-growing 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, a smaller and smaller number of homeowners have qualms] about going with a geothermal system. They’re discovering that geothermal technology is considerably more efficient and reliable than standard high-efficiency gas furnaces and whole-house air conditioners.
Fear That Geothermal Heating and Cooling May Not Be the Most Advantageous Alternative. Financial considerations are definitely important here. You’ll need to compare renewable-energy technology with that using standard energy sources and appraise the total costs and ROI of each. Should your home occupy enough land area to accommodate the ground loops, geothermal will no doubt emerge as the best alternative – for the reasons mentioned above.
Fear of Insufficient Dealer Support and Service. We can dispense with this fear right here and now. EcoMech is a trusted Atlanta geothermal dealer, installer, and service provider. We’ll work hand in hand with you from the start, and we’ll be there to cover your geothermal system’s every maintenance and service requirement for as long as you own it.
In the final analysis, the only thing you ought to fear is losing out on all the comfort, efficiency, energy-bill savings, and serenity a geothermal heating and cooling system provides. Contact the geothermal experts at EcoMech today!