When it comes to alternate ways to heat and cool your Cincinnati home, many local homeowners are turning to geothermal energy. Harnessing the power of the earth certainly sounds great, but are you ready for a geothermal retrofit? If you're planning on such an upgrade for your greater Cincinnati home, be sure to follow these three tips:

• Check for access to your location. In some cases, the installation of a geothermal retrofit can be a bit difficult. After all, there's a good chance that your property's already outfitted with electrical cables and gas lines. In some cases, these items can be plentiful, which could impede a geothermal system being placed in the ground as well. Your HVAC technician will be able to survey your property and determine if you might run into any problems.
• Check the adequacy of your electrical system and ductwork. Geothermal systems are designed to utilize a low amount of power, but it's still possible that your electrical system might not be equipped to handle it. This is a step that you shouldn't take lightly. If you're replacing your HVAC system, you should be perfectly fine, but if you're adding onto your heating or cooling setup, you may need more power. Plus, you may also need to upgrade your ductwork to handle increased airflow.
• Figure out its effect on landscaping. The installation of a geothermal retrofit can be upsetting to your home's landscape, so take this into account. The severity of the damage will depend on the type of system that you end up installing, such as a horizontal loop. Before you decide how you want to handle everything, get in touch with an HVAC contractor and have him or her evaluate your needs and project the kind of disturbance to the soil that will occur.

If you need expert assistance with your geothermal retrofit, or for questions regarding home comfort, please don't hesitate to contact the professionals at JonLe Heating & Cooling. We've been serving the HVAC needs of Butler County and the Greater Cincinnati area for over 50 years.

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