In recent years, more and more homeowners are having a hard time keeping up with the costs of high heating and cooling bills. With utility pricing perpetually on the rise, many people are starting to seek out ways to improve their homes from an energy-efficiency perspective and lower their yearly maintenance expenses in the process.

Blair Harris is the director of Sales and Marketing at A&R Mechanical Services, a locally owned, full service Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning business that has been serving the Amarillo, Texas area since 1992. She says that one of the best ways for a homeowner to reduce his energy burden is to have a geothermal heating and cooling system installed.

Energy Efficient

Thanks to new EPA standards designed to reduce fossil fuel consumption and associated emissions, heating and cooling systems are becoming more energy efficient. Not only are high-efficiency HVAC systems reducing the amount of energy it takes to heat or cool your home, but new construction methods and improved insulation are also making it easier for HVAC systems to warm or cool your home. Geothermal heating and cooling systems are just one example of recent improvements in HVAC efficiency.

Geothermal heating and cooling involves using the earth’s natural heat to alter the temperature of people’s homes for the better. The process is simple, though the actual installation work can be rather time-consuming and complex. Using a looped piping system that gets installed underground, a geothermal system will essentially work to extract the earth’s heat and pump it into a home. Since the temperature of the earth beneath the surface is relatively constant, a geothermal system will incorporate heating or cooling methods in its piping (known as a thermal loop) to allow homeowners to achieve comfortable temperatures within their houses.

Earth-Friendly

From an environmental perspective, a geothermal system is much more earth-friendly than its traditional counterparts. Since this type of heating and cooling draws its energy from a renewable source and keeps pollution to a minimum, those looking to go green can sleep soundly knowing that their homes aren’t contributing to the planet’s demise. Additionally, the systems are extremely energy efficient. Studies by the Environmental Protection Agency have shown that those using geothermal heating and cooling systems are generally able to significantly reduce their energy use and associated bills.

Financially Appealing

Although geothermal systems can be somewhat expensive to install, most HVAC experts agree that they are clearly worth their upfront cost. By using geothermal heating and cooling methods, the amount of energy that the average given household can expect to save will more than make up for the initial installation cost, and then some. Additionally, qualifying heating and cooling systems can result in a generous tax credit courtesy of the U.S. government, making the notion of going geothermal even more financially appealing. Finally, from a maintenance perspective, the geothermal systems are known for their easy upkeep and built-in longevity, which can also translate into significant savings.

If you’re looking for a way to help the environment and minimize your utility bills at the same time, you might want to consider replacing your current heating and cooling system with a geothermal counterpart. Not only will you increase the value of your home, you’ll also do your part to preserve our planet in the long run.