2 Crucial Alaska Geothermal Heating and Cooling Considerations

1.     Initial Costs vs. ROI

There’s no escaping it: replacing your current HVAC system with a geothermal heating and cooling system is a pricy proposition. Front-end costs here in Alaska can run anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 – or more. Lot size, site accessibility, system configuration, ground conditions, and other issues come to bear on it. So too does the amount of excavation that has to be done and what sort of ductwork modifications are needed. And if you’re having a new home built? It’s not as expensive, generally, but it’ll still cost about 40 percent more than a conventional HVAC system will cost you.

Okay, you wanted the bad news first. Now, for the good news. To begin with, various incentives and rebates may be obtainable at the federal, state and local level to help you bear the installation costs. Second, the energy savings achievable with your new geothermal heating and cooling system will start returning your initial investment almost immediately. So you could recoup your investment in as little as four years. But , then again: Local utility rates and the total cost of your installation may prevent full repayment for something like 15 years. Since geothermal systems frequently endure for upwards of 30 or 50 years, though, you’ll still be in good financial shape. You just have to figure out sooner rather than later what your finances can take … and how patient you are.

2.     Geothermal Benefits Can Easily Outweigh Concerns About Initial Costs

Let us enumerate the most significant benefits:

  • Compared to ordinary heating and cooling systems, geothermal heating and cooling could clip as much as 30 to 60 percent off your heating bills. And it could lower your cooling costs by as much as 20 to 50 percent.
  • Geothermal systems use renewable energy – heat taken from the ground.
  • Geothermal heat pumps don’t run by combustion, so you’re not bothered by greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, etc.) and you have no fire safety or air quality concerns.
  • Because no outdoor fans or compressors are necessary, geothermal heating and cooling systems operate much quieter than ordinary systems.
  • Since there are few moving parts and geothermal systems are protected from the elements, you’re assured many decades of low-maintenance, top-performance use. Indoor components may be good for about 30 years, ground loops, about 50.

Looking for more information on any of these points in order to make a decision about your heating and cooling options? Talk with the Alaska geothermal experts at Energy Efficiency Associates. We’re glad to help, whatever you decide.