While geothermal heat pumps have numerous benefits, including high SEER ratings and low maintenance costs, their accompanying loop fields make them inherently more complex and time consuming to install than traditional air-source heat pumps. Each installation involves digging up a yard, laying hundreds of feet of pipe, and generally disrupting the lives of homeowners, but thanks to the innovative thinking of manufacturers and contractors, there are now new products and techniques that can enhance the installation experience for the homeowner, as well as the contractor.
One of the biggest complaints homeowners have regarding the installation of geothermal systems is the fact that it often ruins their existing landscaping. As Joe Huck, president, Williams Comfort Air, Carmel, Ind., noted, “Geothermal has always been a no-brainer for new construction, because the walks and drives aren’t there yet. But for an existing home, it can involve nuking the yard. Not to mention that few people have yards big enough to install horizontal loops.”