Geothermal- Is it Worth the Cost?

Capstone Homes builds Delaware beach homes, and we regularly install geothermal systems into our delaware new homes. Capstone Homes is often asked if a geothermal system is worth the additional cost.

First, a short explanation of geothermal systems. A geothermal system for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) is a heat pump system that uses the natural temperature of the earth to exchange heat in order to heat and cool your home. In the summer months, the system discharges heat into the ground to cool the air in your home. In the winter months, the system removes heat from the ground to heat the air in the home. When most people hear "heat pump"- they are thinking about an "air-to-air" system. This is correct, but a geothermal system is "air-to-ground". The reason that a geothermal system is much more efficient is because the earth's temperature is more or less constant. As the earth is a very reliable source of heat (or a reliable place to discharge heat), this allows the Geothermal system to be very efficient.

Some people who are from colder regions of the US think Heat Pumps are a bad idea for HVAC, but that isn't the case for Delaware. Most air-to-air heat pumps do lose their efficiency on very cold days in the winter, but geothermal does not. Geothermal is using the earth, and the ground temperature doesn't change based upon the air temp. Most geothermal systems use wells that are hundreds of feet below the earth's surface.

In an era of rising energy prices, Geothermal offers a system that has consistent heating and cooling costs that are much lower than any other system. As energy prices rise over time, a geothermal system will remain constant. Additionally, a geothermal system can qualify for a federal tax credit of up to 30% of the cost of the installation. This makes the geothermal system far more affordable in the long term. At Capstone Homes, we install top of the line systems for geothermal at a price that will surprise you. Capstone also has a community, Bay Landing, where a geothermal system is being given to buyers as an incentive.

If you are looking for low energy costs over time, then a Capstone Home with geothermal is a great choice for you.