Geothermal systems offer an invaluable source of energy that could be particularly useful in Jacksonville. There’s no such thing as a mild summer in our area and geothermal systems provide the kind of comfort that is essential during a sweltering summer or frigid winter day. It also has the potential to save money on your energy bill. We know a lot of people aren’t familiar with geothermal systems so we wanted to take some time to identify the benefits you’ll experience when installing one in your home!

How Does a Geothermal System Work?

Above-ground temperatures change seasonally but temperatures four to six feet below the earth’s surface remain the same regardless of the season. Geothermal HVAC systems harness the power of these consistent temperatures for home heating and cooling. Traditional heat pumps use mechanical energy to transfer heat from a cooler to a warmer area while geothermal systems don’t use supplemental fuels to produce heating and cooling.

A geothermal system features an indoor unit and a system of pipes, also known as an earth loop that’s buried in the ground. These systems use electricity to provide power to the indoor components like the fan, pump, and compressor. During colder months of the year, the liquid travels through the piping system, absorbs heat stored in the ground and transfers heat inside your home. In hot summer months, geothermal systems extract heat from your home and carry it through the underground piping before releasing it into the earth.

At Ocean State Air Conditioning & Heating, we offer Comfort and Performance geothermal heat pump systems because we’ve seen the positive impact they can have on Jacksonville homes. We’ve built our reputation on providing honest insights to our customers since 1976 and we can confidently say that these heat pumps are among some of the most innovative units available for home use and we can’t recommend them enough.

What Benefits Do Geothermal Systems Offer Homeowners?

Geothermal HVAC systems offer several advantages for home heating and cooling for Florida homeowners:

• Longevity. Once installed, the underground earth loop of a geothermal system can support system operations for years, and given that the system’s fan, compressor, and pump are all in an indoor unit, these parts can also run for many years. Geothermal systems are constructed in a way that will stand the test of time.
• Certain geothermal heat pumps can also double as home hot water heaters. A desuperheater addition to your geothermal heat pump enables you to use a ground source heat pump to heat water for your home.
• Homeowners who install qualified geothermal heating and cooling systems can be eligible to receive federal tax credits. In our area, the temperatures can fluctuate to such extremes that saving as much money as possible is an absolute necessity.

What Should I Think About Before Installing a Geothermal System?

If you’re considering a geothermal system for your home, it’s important to think about the following things:

• Installation requires significant upfront costs. For example, a geothermal system installation for a 2,500-square-foot home that will carry a heating and cooling load of 60,000 BTU will cost between $20,000 to $25,000. These costs are almost double what they would be with a traditional HVAC system.
• Newly built homes can typically best accommodate the installation of new geothermal systems than older homes. Converting an older home’s HVAC system to a geothermal unit usually requires changes to a home’s ductwork and other alterations.
• Think carefully about the contours of your land. The U.S. Department of Energy states that horizontal ground loop systems are generally used for new home construction. Vertical installations are best suited for existing structures because they reduce the amount of disturbance to the home landscape.

Homeowners with geothermal systems can generally expect to see a return on their investment for a period of two to ten years and your system should function perfectly for at least twenty years. When extended over a period of time, a geothermal system can reduce utility bills by up to a whopping 60%!

At Ocean State, our team of NATE-certified technicians has extensive experience installing geothermal systems in Jacksonville. To learn more about the heating and cooling capabilities of a geothermal system, contact a member of our service team at (904) 574-5619. There are so many advantages to installing a geothermal system in your home and we’re standing by to address any questions you may have!