Geothermal air conditioning is becoming more popular in Tulsa and the Broken Arrow region, despite the initial high installation costs. Geothermal air conditioning systems are popular primarily for the significant energy savings they offer over time. The US Department of Energy reports that they can reach efficiency levels of up to 600 percent. Their long life spans and quiet operation levels are other great aspects, as is their small size. You don’t need a very big yard to install a geothermal system any longer.The temperature underground remains reasonably regular regardless of the season, and a geothermal air conditioning system takes advantage of this by taking energy from the earth and using it to heat or cool your home. It can also take energy from your home and transfer it back into the earth.Half of the system goes inside your home, and the other half is an underground pipe loop that gathers the energy from the ground. The pipe loop is put in a horizontal “trench” in homes with a lot of yard space, but for those with smaller yards, workers dig a vertical “borehole," which does not require a large surface area. This borehole can be 75 to 500 feet deep. The piping doesn’t need a lot of attention after installation, having a life span that can reach 50 years.The indoor half of a geothermal air conditioning system also doesn’t take up much space and runs very quietly. This half, and the element connecting it to the outside piping, requires very little maintenance.Geothermal systems are just as practical for small yards as for larger ones, and because they run on 25 percent to 50 percent less energy compared with standard systems, they offer savings of up to 72 percent. In the past, the upfront installation costs of this system could sometimes make it a very tough decision financially, however, recent federal tax credits of 30 PERCENT off the entire installation with no cap, have made this option a very powerful tool in payback. Some systems can pay themselves back in as little as 5-7 seasons. And sometimes, after the tax credit, it can even cost less than some of the standard high efficiency comfort systems.If you’re considering purchasing a geothermal air conditioning system and would like to learn more about how they offer savings and comfort, call Air Assurance! We’ll help you decide if it’s a good investment for your home.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information, click here. Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.