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A geothermal heating system is being offerred by the builder of a new home I’m thinking of buying. How do geothermal heating systems work and are they really efficient?
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Geothermal Heating Systems
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Geothermal Heat, Heating, Energy Star, Green Home, Saving Energy, Tax Incentives and RebatesAnswers
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Geothermal heating systems can be an effective and efficient way to heat your home using the natural warmth for the earth for power and comfort. The constant temperature of the top 10 feet of the earth’s surface is the perfect zone for the refrigerant-filled piping that powers a geothermal heat pump.
Similar to air sourced heat pump, a geothermal heat pump can heat and cool a home, and even provide hot water, however, it does it all cleanly, quietly and far more efficiently. If you choose an Energy Star-qualified model, you’ll be using about 30 percent less energy than you would with an air-source pump and qualify for a very attractive tax credit of 30 percent of the cost of the geothermal heat pump, up to $2,000.
Answer by: Tom KraeutlerInstalling a geothermal system, even in an existing home, requires specialized planning and installation that can drive a higher price tag that a conventional heating system. But thanks to the major energy savings you get as a result, the investment payback period is reasonably brief.