Harvey W. Hottel, Inc.

Since 1945

• Residential Services
• Commercial Services
• Geothermal
• Engineering/Design Build

Resources

Geothermal Frequently Asked Questions Received from Baltimore Area Residents

One of the hottest growing trends in home heating throughout the Baltimore / Washington metropolitan area is geothermal heating. This method of home climate control is gaining popularity, but many are still unaware of the benefits associated with geothermal heating and what it could mean from their home. These are some of the most frequently asked questions about geothermal heating, and if you still have questions, that's not a problem. Give the geothermal experts at Harvey Hottel a call today and we will answer those for you as well.

Is Geothermal expensive to install, it seems like a rather involved process that would cost a lot.
As with many other types of heating and cooling systems, geothermal systems can be installed in a number of ways. Forced air, hydronic baseboard and radiant floor distribution are all available options, as is the ability for an open or closed loop source. All that said, a geothermal system is somewhat more expensive than a traditional system that operates on fossil fuel. However, the lower operation cost of geothermal offsets that expense with use.

Is Geothermal better for the environment than traditional heating and cooling systems?
Yes. The lack of atmospheric emissions of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons alone is a vast improvement found with using a Geothermal system in your Gaithersburg, MD home. The elimination of associated impacts on the environment also make it worthwhile. For example, when using energy from an electric heating and cooling system, the energy used to turn the fossil fuel into electricity doubles the impact on the environment - this is eliminated with a geothermal system.

Will I really save money by using Geothermal in my Baltimore home?
Typically speaking, a geothermal system costs less to operate than an electric HVAC system, electric heat pumps, fuel oil, kerosene and natural gas. While it is nearly impossible to provide an exact amount of savings you should expect to see on your energy bills, customers typically save between 20 and 50 percent on energy expenses.