Geothermal systems are installed in residential and commercial buildings throughout Louisville, from large projects to single-family homes.
This trend is reinforced by a 30% federal tax credit and a trend of climate-conscious consumers looking to reduce the environmental footprint of their property.
But this technology can also provide significant savings on electricity bills in the long term.
The Courier Journal spoke with industry experts and consumers about geothermal systems and the considerations homeowners interested in the technology need to keep in mind. Here’s what you need to know:
Ask an expert
Typically, the first step in assessing a building’s geothermal heating and cooling potential is a consultation.
An expert will calculate a home’s heating and cooling needs and determine if there is room to install the ground loop, which allows the system to exchange heat with the Earth.
Horizontal loops take up more surface area but are shallower, while vertical loops take up less surface area and are drilled deeper.
Larger buildings require more heating and cooling capacity. Experts will also assess how airtight a building is: a lack of insulation means heating and cooling systems have to work harder to maintain the indoor temperature.
Consider the costs
The biggest barrier to transitioning a building to geothermal heating and cooling is the upfront cost, which includes drilling into the earth in some cases.
Larry Kaelin, who has been in the geothermal installation business for 30 years and owns local company Geothermal by Design, said the key factor in installing a single-family home is time.
“Although the cost of installing a geothermal system can be several times higher than an air-source system with the same heating and cooling capacity, the additional costs can be paid back in energy savings in 5 to 10 years, depending on the cost of energy and incentives available in your area,” according to the Department of Energy.
If a homeowner doesn’t plan to live in a home for 10 years or more, taking on the upfront installation costs might not make sense, Kaelin said.
Geothermal heat pump systems typically require much lower maintenance costs. Additionally, the Department of Energy estimates that geothermal heat pump equipment has a longer lifespan than conventional systems.
“You’ll buy two of these systems before you buy another one of these,” Kaelin often tells customers in his geothermal sales pitch.
Some geothermal systems can also divert excess heat for a home’s hot water needs, which can result in additional savings, especially in the summer.
Geothermal energy can be combined well with other renewable energies
Several years ago, Sam Avery installed geothermal energy on his Hart County farm.
Avery is a renewable energy advocate and a former solar panel installer. He has a solar farm on his farm. He said the two make a good duo and help make better use of energy.
“If I didn’t have geothermal, I would be using all the solar energy to heat my house,” he said, “and I don’t want to do that.”
When the house was built, Avery didn’t know he was going to install geothermal, but it was a perfect fit for his property.
Not all homes will be compatible, but geothermal is “a pretty simple and adaptable technology,” he said. “I think it can be used for a lot of things it’s not used for right now.”
Connor Giffin is an environmental reporter for The Courier Journal. You can contact him directly at cgiffin@gannett.com or on X@byconnorgiffin.
