Geothermal systems

How it differs from an air-source system

An ordinary heat pump exchanges heat with outdoor air, so its efficiency falls as conditions get more extreme — hottest when you most need cooling, coldest when you most need heat. A geothermal system exchanges heat with the ground instead, which sits at a stable temperature year-round.

That stability is the whole advantage. It is why geothermal can reach efficiencies no air-source system will match, and why the gap is widest exactly when demand peaks.

Why the site survey comes first

Loop field design is the system. Available land, soil conditions and how much heat the ground can actually absorb and release all drive both the cost and whether the project makes sense on your property at all.

That is not a question anyone can answer from a floor plan or a phone call, which is why nothing gets priced before we have looked. It is also why we will sometimes tell you geothermal is not the right answer for your property — an air-source heat pump, properly sized and installed, is a better outcome than a compromised geothermal installation.

What it suits

Properties with land available for the loop field, owners planning to stay long enough for the efficiency to repay the higher up-front cost, and new construction where the loop can be installed before the site is finished.

We also service and repair existing geothermal systems, including ground loop work, for owners who inherited one with a property.

Geothermal pricing

Georgia Power lists rebates of up to $300 for qualifying ground-source heat-pump conversions, subject to eligibility.

Prices are starting points for standard work in the Savannah area. Final price depends on the system and site, and is confirmed before work begins. Permits and code-required upgrades may be additional.

What is included

• Site survey and loop field assessment
• System design, installation and commissioning
• Ground loop service and existing system repair
• Efficiency trade-offs explained against air-source alternatives

An honest assessment of whether geothermal suits your property, including when it does not.

Questions we get asked

Does geothermal work in coastal Georgia?

The ground temperature here is stable and well suited to it. Whether it works on your property is a separate question that depends on available land and soil conditions, which is what the site survey establishes.

How much land does it need?

It depends on the loop design — horizontal loops need more area, vertical loops need less but more drilling. That trade-off is one of the main things the survey settles.

Is it worth the extra cost?

It depends on how long you plan to stay and what you would otherwise install. We will give you the honest comparison against a high-efficiency air-source heat pump rather than assuming geothermal is automatically better.

Do you service geothermal systems you did not install?

Yes, including ground loop work. A lot of geothermal owners inherited the system with the house and have struggled to find anyone who will look at it.

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