Is geothermal heating economical?

Geothermal heat pumps are typically four times less expensive to operate than conventional high-efficiency systems. The installation is expensive, but the cost is recovered, over time, by reducing the heating and cooling cost of a structure.

Conventional high-efficiency systems have a 92 to 94 percent efficiency rating, which means they return 92 to 94 cents worth of heat for every dollar spent. Geothermal units return $4 worth of heat for every $1 spent. Typically it takes three to five years to recover the cost of geothermal installation, but most equipment is rated for a 20 to 25 year lifespan, which provides many years of economical service.