Geothermal Systems: Finding the Right Size for Your Home

Homes in the United States are getting bigger. In 1970, the average home size was around 1,400 square feet, but by 2009, even after the 2008 mortgage bubble pop, the average home size was 2,700 square feet. Bigger homes means they need more powerful air conditioners and furnaces to keep them cool or warm as the season demands. The furnace of 1970 might not do the job. These days we have more than just furnaces and air conditioners to choose from. We also have energy-efficient geothermal heat pumps, but, whether you live in a 1,400 or 2,700 square foot home, how do you know the right size geothermal heat pump for you?

First, rest easy. No matter how small or large your house is, there is a geothermal heat pump out there that can provide the air comfort your family wants while keeping your electric bill at a manageable rate. The size of the unit you need will be dependant upon the size of your house and finding the right size is important. Contrary to popular belief, having a larger unit than normal won’t necessarily provide superior heating or cooling. Rather, one sized for your house is going to give you the best performance in terms of air comfort and efficiency.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a handy website that can give you what they consider an ideal square foot to BTUs (British thermal unit) per hour ratio. If you have a 1970 house, then you want about 30,000 BTUs per hour and if you have the 2009 house you only need a few more, roughly 34,000 per hour. There are many things that might modify that. If your house is heavily shaded, that can reduce the BTUs needed for cooling and the kitchen will, on average, require more BTUs than another part of the home.

In this case, do some research yourself and make sure you talk to a dealer like Ingram Heating and Air. Companies like them have installed a lot of heating, ventilation and air conditioner units and they can help you optimize a geothermal heat pump install ideal for your home.