Oil and natural gas prices have been rising each season, and there’s no end in sight; however, that doesn’t mean homeowners have to face years of fuel rate increases without any recourse. By turning entirely or partially to geothermal heat pumps to keep their homes comfortable, average homeowners can save up to 30 to 70% on heating and 20 to 50% on cooling costs, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The cost to install a geothermal system into a new structure is higher than it would be to simply choose a traditional furnace and air conditioning unit. However, savvy sellers are actively seeking ways to maximize the return on their investment; thus, they know that residences fitted with geothermal heat pumps tend to attract buyers first. (For even more homebuyer appeal, it’s recommended that homeowners choose a geothermal system with variable fans and/or a unit that also heats the domestic hot water—called a “desuperheater”—for the structure.)

The big question is whether or not homeowners will notice a difference in the quality of their air or the overall comfort of their home. Alan Rimmer explains that in his experience, most customers are amazed by how quiet and unobtrusive their closed loop geothermal systems are. Truly, there seems to be only one place customers notice a major change after installing a geothermal heat pump unit,and it’s a pleasant one: their annual heating and cooling costs decrease considerably.