Is Geothermal a Viable Option for Anybody?

The Geothermal Advantage
We often hear from people that geothermal heating and cooling is not a practical choice for many people. Reasons cited are cost of installation and the misunderstanding that a large rural lot is required.

Geothermal Explained:

Geothermal is a combination of two words. Geo means ‘of the earth’ and thermal is to ‘heat’. The earth is a giant insulator. The ground temperature as little as five feet down remains almost constant all year round.

The heat store under the ground can be transferred to a building through a series of pipes called loops. The underground or underwater loops remove the heat from the ground and pump it into the building.

For cooling, the system is reversed. Heat is extracted from the building and pumped back to the earth.

Is Geothermal Difficult to Install?

The short answer is no. Depending on the space available, the installation of geothermal loops can be done in several different ways.

A vertical loop requires a deeper excavation than a horizontal loop, but it does not require a large rural lot. Loops can also run into a nearby pond or lake. Toronto has 100’s of buildings that draw their cooling energy from Lake Ontario.

Vertical installations are completed with powerful machines that drill down into the earth to find the warm spot, usually 100 – 850 feet down. Horizontal loops require excavation of long trenches.

Geothermal Loop - Horizontal Installation
Geothermal Loop Horizontal Installation

What About the Cost?

On average, a geothermal system will cost 2.5 times the cost of an equivalent quality conventional heating and cooling system.

The geothermal system handles both heating and cooling. The system can also provide a good part of your hot water needs.

A geothermal system can cut your utility bills by 70%. The system will pay for itself over several years.

Fossil fuel energy costs continue to rise with more planned carbon tax increases.

The government is assisting homeowners with rebates on geothermal systems along with no interest financing.

Geothermal Track Record:

Geothermal was first used to heat Canadian homes in the 1940’s. Since then, there have been many improvements in technology. Geothermal is now widely used in both businesses and homes. A number of well-known buildings such as Rideau Hall in Ottawa, the Pan-Am Aquatic structure in Toronto and The Forks Market in Winnipeg use geothermal. Even Buckingham Palace has a geothermal heating system.

Geothermal is a proven, reliable and green solution to your home comfort needs.

Learn About the Canada Greener Homes Program:

Up to $40,000 in interest free financing:

The Hayter Group
AECON
Aecon Green Energy Solutions

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