Ground Sink Heat Pump Demand Surges
Ground sink heat pumps are surging in popularity in the United States as the alternatives become much more expensive.
Though no comprehensive survey of the heat pump sector exists, Energy Department statistics on units shipped tell a striking story. In 2003, system manufacturers shipped 36,439 units. In 2006, the last year for which data is available, manufacturers shipped 63,683 units.
Bridgette Oliver, marketing and communications manager for ClimateMaster in Oklahoma City, the nation’s largest manufacturer of ground-source heat pump equipment, confirmed a rapid rise in sales. “Between 2005 and 2007, our revenue increased by 200 percent,” she said. “Our employees increased by 176 percent.”
Those are pretty small numbers when compared with the number of buildings constructed per year and even more so when we consider all existing housing stock.
One ground sink heat pump installer in Seattle claims a 5 year pay-back period.
There is a catch. A geothermal system costs more to install. Maloney believes that may be the reason why geothermal systems haven't become widely popular.
"Our costs are usually about 50 percent more than conventional equipment," said Maloney, comparing a geothermal system with a high-efficiency furnace, hot-water heater and air-conditioner installation. "That 50 percent you'll generally see back in about five years."
He estimates the cost of providing a conventional natural-gas system, including a furnace, air conditioner and water heater, might be $10,000. A ground-source geothermal system probably would cost $15,000 to $20,000, he said.
The payback period depends on what you are using now. If you are using oil the payback of a heat pump is a lot shorter than if you are using natural gas for example. Also, your weather matters as well. The capital costs pay back more rapidly if you have a lot of days where you need central heat or central cooling. Plus, you have to consider efficiency of each heat pump model. They aren't all the same in efficiency.
This comparative heating cost calculator will let you figure out how much you could save by switching to a lower cost way of heating.
By Randall Parker at 2008 August 16
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