1. Front-End Costs vs. Payback
You can’t avoid it: replacing your present HVAC system with a geothermal heating and cooling system is an expensive proposition. Initial costs here in Las Cruces tend to run anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 – or above. Lot size, site accessibility, system configuration, ground conditions, and other considerations]17] have a say in it. So too does the amount of excavation that has to be done and what sort of ductwork modifications are needed. And if you’re building a new home? It’s not as budget-busting, overall, but it’ll still cost about 40 percent more than a typical HVAC system will cost you.
Okay, we’ve dispensed with the bad news. Let’s tune in now to the good news. First off, a variety of incentives and rebates may be available at the federal, state and local level to help you out with installation costs. Second, the energy savings you could experience with your new geothermal heating and cooling system will start returning your initial investment in no time. The upshot is, you could recoup your investment in as little as four years. But , then again: Local utility rates and the end cost of your installation may slow full repayment for as much as 15 years. Because geothermal systems frequently keep working for upwards of 30 or 50 years, though, you’ll still be ahead of the game. You just have to figure out at the start what your finances can withstand … and how patient you are.
2. Geothermal Benefits Can Easily Offset Worries About Front-End Costs
We’ll check off the major benefits:
- Compared to standard heating and cooling systems, geothermal heating and cooling could lop as much as 30 to 60 percent off your heating bills. And it could minimize your cooling costs by as much as 20 to 50 percent.
- Geothermal systems use renewable energy – heat taken from the ground.
- Geothermal heat pumps don’t work by combustion, so you’re not confronted with greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, etc.) and you have no fire safety or air quality concerns.
- Because no outdoor fans or compressors are necessary, geothermal heating and cooling systems run much quieter than ordinary systems.
- The absence of many complex moving parts and the fact that geothermal systems are sheltered from the elements ensure many decades of low-maintenance, top-performance use. Indoor components may hold up for about 30 years, ground loops, about 50.
Need further information on any of these issues in order to make a decision about your heating and cooling options? Turn to the Las Cruces geothermal pros at Sun City Plumbing & Heating. We’re happy to help, regardless of what you decide.