Feb 5 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Angie Mason York Daily Record, Pa.


Geothermal heat pumps think they're in Florida in the winter and Alaska in the summer, according to Dave Yates, of F.W. Behler, a York plumbing, heating and air conditioning company.

The systems use the earth's steady temperature of about 55 degrees for heating and cooling, he said.

"It's got the perfect conditions," he said, noting that the systems are more efficient and save money compared to traditional heating methods.

Behler is installing a geothermal heating system at York City Councilwoman Toni Smith's home.
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Smith said she expects to eliminate her furnace altogether and save on her heating and cooling bills. She wants other residents to know that they can do it, too.

"We're not wealthy by any means," she said. "We live paycheck to paycheck like everyone else."

"The programs are out there to help people," said Ed Smith, Toni's husband.

Here's a look at Smith's project, by the numbers:

250 feet: Depth of the two wells being dug behind Smith's Chanceford Avenue home

1,000 feet: Length of pipe that will go into those wells, which will carry water and an alcohol-based glycol, according to Yates. Another 150 feet of pipe will connect the house to the wells.

$1,777-- The amount of money Yates estimates Smith will save on heat and air conditioning each year

$23,000 -- cost of the system, according to Smith

$175 a month -- what Smith expects her loan payments to be. She said her gas bill right now is about $165 a month.

$7,000 -- Approximate amount Smith expects to receive from a federal tax credit that covers 30 percent of the cost of the system.

5.2 percent -- Interest rate on the loan Smith took through the Keystone Home Energy Loan Program

20 years -- the time Smith has to pay off the loan

About geothermal

Want to know more about how geothermal heating systems work?

Visit www.energysavers.gov and click on "geothermal" under "I want to use renewable energy."

The Web site also contains information about rebates, tax credits and financing options available.

For state resources, visit www.pahomeenergy.com, which has information about incentives and loans available for residents making energy improvements at their homes.

Rep. DePasquale on geothermal

State Rep. Eugene DePasquale had a geothermal system installed at his home last spring.

This time last year, his gas bill probably would have been about $320 to $340. This year, it's more like $10 to $14, he said.

DePasquale was the primary sponsor for the bill that created the state's $650 million Alternative Energy

Investment Fund, which provides grants, loans, rebates and other incentives for using alternative energy sources.

He said residents can call local contractors to find out if it's worth doing at their home.

"Some houses you may not save a lot, some houses you may save a ton," he said.

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