What is geothermal heating and cooling?
Without any effort from humans, rays from our Sun, or Solar Energy, warm the Earth everyday. Earth stores some of that heat underground. The word geothermal comes from geo (Earth) and thermal (heat), or heat from the Earth. Since the 1940s, humans have been tapping and harnessing this enormous source of geothermal energy and funneling it into homes and businesses as a primary or secondary heat source. Instead of using the outdoor air which is either much hotter or colder than ground temperature, the Earth’s constant temperature is used to either help heat or cool a building depending on the season. This reduces the amount of energy it takes to keep you comfortable.
Geothermal energy is a renewable resource, unlike fossil fuels like natural gas, coal and oil. Some of these non-renewable resources have been used to heat homes for hundreds of years. Geothermal energy is renewed each day as the Sun rises and heats the Earth’s surface. Tapping this resource can pay off in a fairly short time.
Cost of geothermal heating and cooling
Installation Cost
The average price to install a new residential geothermal hvac system in Delmarva is between $10,000 – $20,000 depending on your home, land and your heating and cooling needs. Drilling the wells that are used in the geothermal process adds a variable to the project and is addition to the install price. The costs for the wells can range from $10,000 to $30,000 depending on your land and the type of system you choose.
While geothermal hvac systems cost more to install than a traditional heat pump, they are much more energy efficient. This will save you a ton of money for the next 20-30 years and is better for the environment. Geothermal hvac is truely an investment. Both in your portfolio and in the environment.
Energy Efficiency
These numbers are super impressive. Standard heat pumps are 175-300% efficient, compared to a whopping 300-600% efficiency for geothermal heat pumps. In other words, a normal heat pump will produce 1.75-3 kW of thermal energy for every 1 kW of electrical energy consumed. Whereas a geothermal heat pump will produce 3-6 kW of thermal energy for every 1 kW of electrical energy consumed. Or in layman’s terms, this means huge savings each month for those with geothermal hvac.
Monthly Operating Costs
Geothermal heating and cooling can reduce energy bills by 40-60 percent. That’s huge! $30,000 to $90,000 savings over 20 to 30 year life expectancy of a geothermal hvac system. Or approximately 2/3 less (66% savings) than using propane to heat your home or business. That’s a huge savings every month (like a modest car payment). Some of our clients save as much as $3000 per year on energy bills. You may save more or less, depending on your current energy consumption, the size heat pump you choose, the style geothermal system you install, and the construction your home.
Life Span and Maintenance
Standard heat pumps reside outdoors in the blistering summer heat and freezing Delmarva winters. This is a hard, salty life. Geothermal heat pumps reside underground and indoors. A more sophistcated life for a much better hvac system. Living indoors and underground also minimizes routine maintenance, reducing your operating expenses even more.
Home Value
Installing a geothermal hvac system will increase the value and sellability of your home. Geothermal heating and cooling makes your home more desirable than those with standard heat pumps. Why! Partially because of the reduced maintenance and energy savings.
Pay Off
Again, depending on your home and current utility rates, you could pay your new geothermal hvac system off in 2 to 10 years. The energy savings achieved with a new energy efficient geothermal system will pay you for years. With approved credit, you may even qualify for special financing for 60 months on your new geothermal hvac system. Ask your representative for more details. Call us now for your Free, No Obligation, Geothermal Consultation and Written Estimate.
How does a geothermal heat pump work?
Geothermal heat pumps (GHP, GeoExchange, earth-coupled, ground-source, or water-source heat pumps) work similar to normal heat pumps, essentially, as long as the outdoor temperature is above freezing. BUT, instead of exchanging the heat in your home with the outside air, it exchanges stored heat from underground that has been generated by solar energy (the Sun). How is this better? Underground temperature is more consistent (50-60 degrees year round in Delmarva) than above ground temperature (0-100 degrees depending on season in Delmarva).
Geothermal Heating Example
Let’s say it’s 40 degrees outside and your heat pump is trying to keep the inside of your home at a toasty 70 degrees. A standard heat pump must raise outdoor air 30 degrees to achieve this desired temperature.
A geothermal hvac system can pull from the constant 50 degree temperature from underground and now only has to raise that 20 degrees to achieve the same 70 degree desired indoor air temperature. Bamm! Heat your home for less.
Geothermal Cooling Example
Let’s say it’s 90 degrees outside and your heat pump is trying to keep the inside of your home at a cool 70 degrees. A standard heat pump must work like crazy to lower that outdoor air 20 degrees to cool your home.
A geothermal hvac system can gently pull the from the constant 50-60 degree temperature from underground that is already well below your desired indoor air temperature of 70 degree. Thus it just needs to pull that free coolness from the earth and transfer it to your home. Vuala! Cool your home for less.
Simple enough?
Types of geothermal hvac systems
The Heat Pump
The heat pump itself is similar to a standard heat pump, just configured a little different to exchange heat with the ground instead of the air. And the above ground unit is often stored indoord instead of outdoors like a standard heat pump.
Closed Loop vs Open Loop
Closed Loops are just that. A closed system of special tubes or pipes that circulate an antifreeze type solution to exchange heat underground. This system is placed in a Horizonal or Vertical Loop.
Open Loops are less expensive to install (as much as 60% less than closed loop geothermal systems) but can be a real pain to keep running smoothly. It pulls water from a source (lake or well water) and discharges it elsewhere after exchanging its heat.
Horizontal vs Vertical Loop
Vertical Loop is, you guessed it, Up and Down. This is for those without much open land. We dig down deep into the earth (hundreds of feet sometimes) using a well boring machine. The closed loop in inserted in this hole and filled in with a conductive solution.
Horizontal Loops are shallow, installed just a few feet below ground level. This is less expensive to install than Vertical, IF you have a lot of open land to dig up. We install either slinky or straight pipes to draw that free solar energy from the Earth.
Environmental impacts of geothermal hvac
Simply put, geothermal heat pumps are much better for the environment than standard heat pumps. And don’t even compare to fossil fuel burning heating systems. Geothermal hvac systems emit zero carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases because they are 100% electric. And they use less energy to run due to modern technology that makes the systems run smoother and easier than in years past.
Installing a geothermal hvac system on your home is like planting an acre of trees. How? The reduction in greenhouse gas is equivalent to planting all those trees on your property. That’s a huge help for the environment.The EPA will back us up on this. Over 20 years, your geothermal hvac system will be like planting 120,000 trees. 180,000 trees over 30 years. WOW!
Bottom Line
Geothermal hvac systems use much less energy (as much as 60 less) than standard heat pumps. Thus, saving energy, money and the Earth. Read about the pros and cons of geothermal next.
Pros and Cons of geothermal energy
Let’s be real. Is there really nothing bad about geothermal energy?
Pros – Advantages
- Save a ton of money on energy bills (up to 60% on heating and 50% on cooling).
- Help protect the environment.
- Smallest carbon footprint of any hvac system.
- Works on any size home or business.
- Ignore gas and oil price fluctuations.
- Quieter than standard heat pump.
- Longer lifespan than standard heat pump.
- Fewer moving parts means less maintenance.
Cons – Disadvantages
- Higher upfront investment than standard heat pump.
- Boring holes/wells will temporarily disturb your yard. But, this could actually be a pro, if you wanted a new yard anyway.
- You still need electricity to run the heat pump, just less of it.
- Underground loops could be damaged by tree roots, rodents, etc… This is extremely rare, but for full disclosure, it could happen.
What do you think? Which wins, the pros or the cons? If you said the pros, it’s time to call the Pros for your Free, No Obligation, Geothermal Consultation and Written Estimate. No pressure. Call us now for your Free Estimate.
Why choose renewable energy?
Now is a great time to invest in a geothermal hvac system. Prices are at their lowest ever. Technology is at its best ever. And this Planet’s renewable resources are being depleted at an astonishing rate causing increases in natural gas and oil prices. Electric bills will continue to rise slowly. So using less of it is a no brainer, if you have the funds to invest in a geothermal hvac system.
Financing
With approved credit, you may even qualify for special financing for 60 months on your new geothermal hvac system. Ask your representative for more details. Call us now for your Free, No Obligation, Geothermal Consultation and Written Estimate. Call now to see if geothermal is right for you and your home or business.
Geothermal HVAC Options for Delaware & Delmarva
Delaware and Delmarva Peninsula homeowners are discovering why geothermal heating and cooling systems are the smartest investment for year-round comfort.
The average price to install a new residential geothermal HVAC system in the Delmarva area is between $15,000 – $30,000 before incentives, depending on your home, land conditions, and your heating and cooling needs. Drilling the wells used in the geothermal process adds to the project cost and can range from $10,000 to $30,000 depending on your land and the type of system you choose.
Delaware Homeowners Save Thousands with Available Incentives:
- Federal Tax Credit: 30% of total system cost through 2032, with NO CAP on the credit amount. This applies to both equipment AND installation costs (IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit)
- Delmarva Power HVAC Efficiency Program: $1,500 rebate for qualifying closed-loop geothermal systems with ≥17.1 EER & ≥3.6 COP ratings
- Home Performance with ENERGY STAR: Up to $10,000 in rebates for comprehensive home energy improvements that may include geothermal installation as part of a whole-home upgrade
- Special Financing: 0% interest loans for 24 months may be available through the Home Performance program
- 60-month financing available with approved credit
Note: Delaware Electric Cooperative’s geothermal grant program is temporarily suspended as the program is being evaluated.
Monthly Operating Costs
Geothermal heating and cooling can reduce energy bills by 40-60 percent compared to conventional systems. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, geothermal systems can save up to 65% on heating and cooling costs. Delaware homeowners typically save $2,000 to $3,500 per year compared to oil, propane, or traditional electric heating and cooling. Over a 20 to 30 year life expectancy of a geothermal HVAC system, that’s $40,000 to $105,000 in total savings.
Life Span and Maintenance
Standard heat pumps reside outdoors in the blistering summer heat and freezing Delmarva winters. This is a hard, salty life. Geothermal heat pumps reside underground and indoors—a more sophisticated life for a much better HVAC system. Living indoors and underground also minimizes routine maintenance, reducing your operating expenses even more.
The underground loop system can last 50+ years, while indoor heat pump components typically last 20-25 years—significantly longer than traditional HVAC systems (10-15 years) that face Delaware’s harsh outdoor conditions.
Annual maintenance inspections cost about $100-$250, far less than maintaining outdoor equipment exposed to coastal salt air and temperature extremes.
Geothermal in Delaware: Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will geothermal work on my Delaware property?
A: Almost certainly yes! Geothermal systems can be installed on properties of any size—from urban lots in Wilmington to coastal properties in Rehoboth Beach to rural homes in Kent and Sussex Counties. Horizontal systems work best with 0.25+ acres, while vertical systems can work on smaller suburban lots common throughout Delaware. We’ll conduct a free site assessment to confirm the best system type for your specific property.
Q: How long does it take to pay back my investment in Delaware?
A: With the 30% federal tax credit and Delmarva Power rebates, most homeowners see payback in 5-15 years. According to the Department of Energy, homeowners converting from oil heat can save $1,000-$1,500 annually, accelerating payback significantly. A properly sized geothermal system typically pays for itself in 8-15 years, then provides decades of net savings.
Q: How does geothermal handle Delaware’s humid summers?
A: Exceptionally well! Geothermal systems naturally dehumidify your home as they cool, making them perfect for Delaware’s humid coastal climate. Your home stays cooler and more comfortable with up to 50% less energy consumption than traditional AC.
Q: Will installation damage my yard?
A: Ground loop installation does require excavation, but we take care to minimize disruption. Most horizontal systems need trenches 6 feet deep, while vertical systems require smaller drilling areas—only a few inches in diameter. We restore landscaping after installation, and within a few months, you won’t be able to tell where we worked.
Q: Do I need a lot of land for geothermal in Delaware?
A: Not necessarily. While horizontal loops work best with 0.25+ acres, vertical loop systems can work on smaller suburban lots common throughout Delaware. Vertical systems only need space for drilling holes a few inches in diameter.
Q: What maintenance does a geothermal system need?
A: Very little! Annual inspections cost about $100-$250. Unlike outdoor heat pumps that face Delaware’s salt air and weather extremes, geothermal systems require minimal maintenance with most components indoors or underground. The loop system itself requires virtually no maintenance and can last 50+ years.
Q: Does Above & Beyond service all of Delaware and Delmarva?
A: Yes! We proudly serve homeowners throughout Delaware (New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties) and the greater Delmarva Peninsula. Contact us for a free consultation regardless of where you’re located in our service area.
Q: Can I get geothermal if I don’t have ductwork?
A: Absolutely. We can install ductwork as part of your geothermal installation. Most ductwork installations are included in the overall system cost.
Q: How long will my geothermal system last in Delaware?
A: The ground loop system lasts 50+ years, and the heat pump unit typically lasts 20-25 years. This is significantly longer than traditional HVAC systems (10-15 years) that face Delaware’s harsh outdoor conditions. Indoor components are protected from salt air, humidity, and temperature extremes.
Q: How much does geothermal installation cost in Delaware after incentives?
A: After the 30% federal tax credit and $1,500 Delmarva Power rebate, a $25,000 system drops to about $16,000 out of pocket. If you qualify for the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program, you could save even more.