FACTS & FAQ's


Geothermal FACTS

• Can save you up to 70% on your heating and cooling costs (more)

• Provides very high ROI compared to any other mechanical HVAC addition (more)

• Provides up to 4 units of heating energy output for every unit of energy input (more)

• Is the greenest form of consistent indoor climate control available (more)

• Provides Homecomfort 24/7, 365! (more)


Geothermal FAQ's

Geothermal facts, some quick insight.

Geothermal Systems:

• Can save you up to 70% on your heating and cooling costs. A geothermal heat pump installation not only provides you with renewable green energy, but it will also save you tens of thousands of dollars over its lifespan. Remember, for every unit of energy input, up to four units of energy are generated for your heating and cooling needs. Your current system, (assuming you have a conventional HVAC system) typically returns anywhere from 0.7 to 0.9 units of energy for every unit of input…that’s a BIG difference! Your heating savings will soon pay off your geothermal system and will end up being one of the best investments you’ve ever made.


• Provides very high ROI compared to any other mechanical HVAC system. Geothermal heat pump costs are proven to have a better return than virtually any other mechanical HVAC addition. How geothermal energy accomplishes this is really quite simple. At present your conventional HVAC system uses electricity to run motors and fans, and some form of fossil fuel to burn for heating purposes. Geothermal advantages are numerous but the biggest one is there is no fossil fuel to burn! Your energy is free from the earth so that saving energy in home is easy and it adds up quickly. Typically, your geothermal heat exchanger will generate a 6-10 year payback period after which it is actually making you money through saving energy in home. For the next 10 to 20 years your geothermal use will keep on returning to you making it something like a retirement savings plan!


• Provides up to 4 units of heating energy output for every unit of energy input. There is no geothermal disadvantage when you compare input and output! A geothermal pump provides as much as four units of output energy to heat and cool your home comfortably for every unit of input. This is how such tremendous savings are achieved and since you're not burning fossil fuels, the air is cleaner and healthier, for you, your family and your community. Geothermal advantages are numerous!


• Is the greenest form of consistent indoor climate control available. Geothermal information news flash... We can't find another form of heating and cooling that will reliably deliver complete comfort all of the time!!! You see, the temperature of the earth below a certain depth is constant and that is where the energy is drawn from for your heating and cooling needs and guess what, it never runs out so you always have total comfort. Geothermal renewable energy, renewable green energy, that's saving energy in home and providing you with superior comfort and security.


• Provides Homecomfort 24/7, 365! There was a time when geothermal disadvantages included the inability to provide your heating and cooling needs everyday of the entire year, there were days that were too cold for the system to supply the needed heat load, things have changed. This meant that a system would require add-on heating systems to overcome the extreme needs that were occasionally required. Today a properly sized residential geothermal (or commercial for that matter) will service you reliably 24/7 365.


Back to Top

Geothermal FAQ's, some quick insight.

Is geothermal information new to you? For most of us it is a pretty new area of study, particularly as it relates to our space heating and cooling needs. The fact is geothermal systems have been in place since Roman times and in the last 50 years enormous improvements in geothermal use and performance as well as cost have been achieved making geothermal heating, geothermal cooling and water heating an affordable and effective way to supply all of your heating and cooling needs. To simplify your research efforts the following questions and answers have been put together from hundreds of visits with prospective clients and represent the most commonly asked questions, and answers that we've tried our best to make non-technical. We think we did pretty well, so here they are in no particular order. If the below answers do not completely satisfy your inquiry... please call us and we'll be only too happy to help.

How much does it cost?

Geothermal costs are primarily related to two factors: a) The type of geothermal heat exchanger (loop) applicable to your home: vertical open, vertical closed or horizontal closed loop. b) The size of the geothermal pump (in tons) required to completely condition your home. The smallest and simplest of geothermal systems might be able to be installed for just over $20,000 which isn't much more than a top of the line furnace and air conditioning system. The largest of these systems could easily run upwards of $40,000.

How much am I going to save?

Savings are most easily described as payback in years. Most geothermal systems, after converting from a fossil fuel or electric resistive heating and after lucrative government rebates, are typically a 5 – 10 year payback. Where the savings can really add up is annual savings over time. After the initial capital investment is paid for, the savings can be in the thousands of dollars per year. With a life-expectancy of 20 years a geothermal system can save the owners anywhere from $20,000 to $60,000 over the life of the system, or as much as an annual 10% Return on Investment (ROI).

What size of geothermal system do I need?

Properly sizing a geothermal heat exchanger and pump must include a heat loss and heat gain calculation for your home. The report details your homes R-Values and infiltration rates which results in a load or heat loss number in Btu/h (British Thermal Units) at a specified average outdoor winter temperature. As an example the outdoor design temperature specified for the Ottawa region is -25C. Once the report is completed some additional engineering calculations are required to determine the optimum sized geothermal pump and heat exchanger system which minimizes long-term operating costs and maximizes energy savings.

Will a geothermal system heat my house?

If the system is properly sized (see question #2 above), properly engineered, with properly designed air system and most importantly a heat exchanger system that exceeds minimum standards, AND, every aspect is installed effectively then, YES, it will heat and cool your entire home 365 days per year. As we said before, significant advances have been made over the last 30 years and now your geothermal system will supply all of your heating and cooling needs with clean, renewable, green energy for years and years.

How much space in my yard do the loops require?

1) Vertical Open Well: Simply need 2 water wells which requires limited space for the geothermal heat exchanger (loops).
2) Vertical Closed Well: One vertical bore-hole is required for every ‘ton’ of capacity. Bore-holes should be drilled a minimum of 10’ apart.
3) Horizontal Closed Loops: Requiring the largest space-approximately 1000sqft per 'Ton' of capacity. How many tones do you need?

How does the geothermal pump heat my house?

There are many technical explanations available on the internet that explain how geothermal heat pumps operate through a continuous cycle of evaporation, compression, condensation and expansion. We feel this is often difficult to understand. A more simple explanation would be….water is circulated through loops buried beneath the ground or water is extracted from a well then circulated through the heat pump. The heat pump uses environmentally friendly Freon (refrigerant) to take what we think is cool water and turns it into very hot water. The new hot water is then used as the heat source to heat your home.

Can a geothermal system heat my house when it is -30C without using electric auxiliary?

Again, please see question #2 and #3 above. If the system is designed and engineered to provide heat at -30C then YES, it will. Please keep in mind that even though it might be -30C outdoors, the earth temperature below the frost-line is fairly constant.

Does a geothermal system require a lot of maintenance?

Relative to fossil fuel systems NO they do not require a lot of maintenance. A properly engineered and installed closed-loop geothermal pump requires very little maintenance aside from regularly maintaining the air filter and the air blower assembly. Water coil maintenance is recommended on open-loop installations as water quality can greatly affect the heat exchanger efficiency. Annual preventative maintenance can ensure optimum heat pump efficiency for years and years of problem free geothermal home heating and air conditioning as well as hot water heating.

What happens if the geothermal heat exchanger horizontal closed loops spring a leak?

Loops should not leak! When installed the contractor should pressure test the loops to 5 times what they will endure during regular operation to ensure the 'fused' connections are sealed tight. Fusing is like welding... once fused the connection is just as strong as standard pipe wall. Installation crews should closely watch as the loops are backfilled over to ensure a rock doesn't damage the newly laid pipe. The pipes used must be made from High-Density Polyethylene 100% Virgin-Resin Pipe which comes with a 55-year warranty and expected useful life span of 300 years. Anything less is a compromise.

Will the installation of the geothermal heat exchanger loops make a mess in my yard?

Whether it's a drill rig or an excavator driving through your yard it is difficult to contain the mess. Once finished however your contractor should return your yard to its original condition not including new grass. We wouldn't recommend seeding or sodding until the ground area has settled which could take a few weeks to a few months depending on the season.

Back to Top