What is a geothermal system?
A geothermal system is a heating and cooling system that uses refrigerant to heat and cool your home. In the summer we take the heat from your home and put it into the earth, in the winter we transfer heat from the earth and bring it into the home. We use the earth’s natural stored energy to heat and cool the home. We also heat up to 80% of your domestic hot water.
How efficient is a geothermal system?
Geothermal exceeds 400% efficiency or 4 COP. For every dollar of electricity you buy, you can expect to get four dollars worth of heat in return. Think of an electric plug-in heater, this is 100% efficient – you buy one dollar of electricity and you get one dollar of heat. With geothermal you buy electricity to run the compressor and pumps to transfer heat as opposed to directly creating heat.
Can I install geothermal into my existing home?
The majority of the installs today are in existing homes. We replace the current gas or oil furnace and the outside air conditioner unit is no longer needed. There are also Geothermal Split systems that use the current gas furnace for moving the air as well as back up heat. If you have purchased a new gas furnace and it is only a few years old, we can still install a geothermal system onto your existing furnace.
How do I know if geothermal is for my home?
Simply give us a call and we will do a complete geothermal assessment of your home showing cost paybacks, annual operating costs and comparisons to your current system. Whether it is a new or existing home, you should consider a geothermal system because of the efficiencies, rebates and tax credits.
How much does a geothermal system cost?
It depends on the size of the system, the loops that are installed, new or existing home etc. There are a lot of variables however I will say that the majority of installs range from $20,000 to $25,000 prior to tax credits and utility rebates. Let’s say a 5-ton geothermal on Alliant electricity costs $20,000. Our system will qualify for a $6,000 tax credit (30% of the total install cost) and an Alliant rebate of $4,335.00. That gives you a new out of pocket of $9,665! That is less than 50% of the total cost!
Will a geothermal system decrease my heating/cooling bills?
Yes. A geothermal system will decrease your heating and cooling bills dramatically. Some people will save as much as 70%. McDonald Energy will do a complete analysis of your current system and identifying your current utility provider will provide all the info we need to predict your annual costs to heat and cool. Most people will heat and cool annually for less than $500/year!
What time of year is good to install a geothermal system?
We can install a unit at most any time of the year but the spring is the best because we don’t have to worry about the ground freezing. The best promotions are also available in the spring. With a newly installed system, you can also to take advantage of our financing and start saving on your cooling bills prior to fall and winter coming. With the spring promo, you can save now and not pay until 2012 with our ’12 month same as cash’ offer. This allows you to reap the benefits of the savings now plus get your tax credit and utility rebates prior to paying off the loan.
How long will it take to have the unit installed and have it operational?
In an existing home we will install the loop field first, this can usually be done in just one day. After the loop is done we will install the geothermal unit in one day. We will never leave the customer without heating or cooling overnight, no matter what time of year it is.
What are the warranties on the geothermal unit?
Please contact us.