Frequently Asked Questions

When should I repair older equipment and when do I need to replace it?

When you're frustrated with an equipment break-down, it can be tempting to find the least expensive "quick fix" to get on with your life in relative comfort. That "quick fix" may be the least expensive now, but it may not give you the most value - or cost you the least - in the long run.

Paying for repairs to an old or inefficient system often simply prolongs the inevitable. It's almost like putting a bandage on a serious injury. An older system that breaks down once is likely to break down again ... and again. That means more emergency service calls or, worse yet, the risk of damage to your home or to other components of your heating and cooling system.

There's also an ongoing cost factor to consider. Restoring your old system will only bring it back to its current level of energy efficiency. After you've recovered from the repair bills and the frustration of system breakdowns, you still won't save on your energy bills.

Even six-year-old heat pumps and air conditioners are considered grossly inefficient by today's energy efficiency standards. So are most furnaces built before 1980. So you could save up to 60% on your energy bills with new high-efficiency equipment. That's why installing a new heating and cooling system can actually pay for itself in energy savings within a relatively short time. Looking at the Big Picture.

When one component of your system breaks down unexpectedly, it's easy to just focus on repairing or replacing that component. But each part of your system works with the others to boost efficiency and reliability, so it helps to keep the big picture in mind.

Replacing your old furnace with a new higher-efficiency model but leaving your old mechanical thermostat in place, for example, won't allow you to enjoy all the efficiency advantages the furnace has to offer. Likewise, if you install a new furnace but don't get a humidifier, the air will seem cooler, forcing you to operate your new system at a higher temperature to be comfortable. Plus, you can often save on installation costs if you have several components of your system (for example, a furnace and an air conditioner) replaced at the same time.

How does a geothermal system work? 

Outdoor temperatures fluctuate with the seasons.  However, the underground temperatures do not.  About four to six feet below the earth's surface, temperatures remain relatively moderate and constant year-round.  Geothermal systems utilize these constant temperatures. 

In winter, fluid circulating through the system's earth loop absorbs stored heat and carries it to the home.  The indoor unit compresses the heat to a higher temperature and distributes it throughout the home.  In summer, the system reverses, pulling heat from the home, depositing it in the cooler earth.

Why is geothermal better?

A geothermal system uses the energy from the sun, which is stored in the earth, to heat and cool homes.  Typically, electric power is used only to operate the unit's fan, compressor, and pump.  These systems simply transfer heat to and from the earth.

Why use Geothermal?

High-efficiency geothermal systems use the energy found beneath the earth's surface.  They combine this stored energy with safe electric power to deliver homeowners heating and cooling savings of up to 60%.  Geothermal costs less to operate and lasts twice as long as a conventional unit.  Geothermal uses the earth's natural energy to heat and cool your home.  By using the earth's constant temperature the geothermal system does not have to strain to provide comfort for your home.  The life expectancy of the geo-thermal unit is rated 23 years per the Department of Energy.

Why is Geothermal safer than the average heating and cooling system?

Unlike the conventional systems, geothermal does not emit dangerous gases or fumes of any type.  There is no danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.

How is Geothermal environmentally friendly?

Installing a single geothermal unit is the environmental equivalent of planting 750 trees or removing two cars fro the road.

Geothermal heat pumps produce no emissions – which means that they do not pollute the atmosphere.

The U.S. General Accounting Office estimates that if geothermal systems were installed nationwide, they could save several billion dollars annually in energy costs and substantially reduce pollution.

By reducing the demand placed on electric utilities, geothermal systems reduce the need for new power plants.  The systems minimize the threats of acid rain, air pollution, the greenhouse effect and other environmental problems that are directly linked to fossil fuel burning.  And since these systems are recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the most environmentally friendly heating and cooling technology available, it's a system you can feel good about using.