[harley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords People are not willing to pay 5-10% more up front for a home that's more termite resistant and, with insulation/stucco, a lot cooler to boot. But they'll happily pay for decades of air conditioning bills, Sentricon contracts, and higher hurricane insurance premiums. These are the same people who won't pay $5000 for solar water heaters even if they get back $3500 in tax credits and lifetime free hot water.

I've read a number (ie. dozens) of articles recently about green homes, and for some reason very few even mention geothermal heating and cooling. It is about 25% more expensive to install, but with energy prices as high as they are it is paying for itself in 3-7 years now.

I doubt I would convert an existing house to geothermal, but new buildings are perfect for it. I've finally completed my analysis of my energy usage, and I'm saving over 40% on my electric bill compared to neighbors with conventional systems. I also have a system installed that recaptures heat from the cooling system and pumps it into the hot water heater, giving me free hot water for 7-8 months out of the year. Plus there aren't any noisy hvac systems kicking on and off disturbing my snoozing meditating on the back deck.