Did you know your home is sitting on one of the greatest untapped sources of clean, free energy – THE EARTH.  Thanks to geothermal heat pump systems, the efficient energy of the earth can be harnessed to heat and cool your home.  Along with providing comfort, improved indoor air quality, and increased home value, geothermal systems have high returns on investment and cost less than you think.
Geothermal or “ground source” heat pumps utilize the constant temperature of the ground to deliver consistent efficient heating and cooling for your home.  Geothermal systems can deliver heating efficiencies potentially 3 to 4 times greater than traditional heating systems.  Over the life of the system, this can mean thousands of dollars in operating savings.
The geothermal system works by circulating water or refrigerant through a series of piping loops that are typically buried vertically in the ground to tap the earth’s renewable energy.  In the winter, heat is absorbed from the ground, concentrated and carried through your home’s duct system as warm air.  In the summer, the system does the reverse, and delivers cool dehumidified air.  With the proper equipment installed, the geothermal system will even help with creating free hot water when the system is running.  Geothermal heat pump systems are clean, compact, and extremely quiet.  The whole system is installed inside your home, therefore reducing exposure to outside elements and increasing the life of the system.
And if that’s not enough, geothermal systems are currently eligible for federal tax credits equal to 30% of the total cost of the system.  In the near future, Pennsylvania will be offering its own incentive program in addition to the federal program.
Remember, when considering any energy related system, it is important to view the house as a system. You should always consider performing a whole house energy audit before considering installing any new heating and cooling system.  The energy audit is important as it will help identify areas such as poor insulation and exterior air infiltration.  This approach will ensure the new system is sized properly and most efficiently, and may even allow you to save more money on your utilities.
 
 
Electric users in PA are beginning to pay attention to the long forgotten electric utility deregulation of the mid 1990’s.  The idea was to promote competition among power suppliers while the local utility continued to deliver the power through the poles and wires we all recognize.  There was lots of deal making which resulted in strange twists and turns on our electric bills ever since.  This piece by the PA Public Utility Commission summarizes the how and why behind electric rate caps which were a cornerstone of the deal making process.  Capped rates have been music to the ears of consumers and businesses for the past several years as we have enjoyed electric rates significantly below market.

Well the party is winding down and the hangover is just starting.  These rate caps are expiring and the impact can be dramatic.  Just fewer than 40% of PA ratepayers have already experienced the end of rate caps including PP&L customers who got banged with about a 30% increase.  The other 60% of PA ratepayers will see the impact of rate cap expiration beginning in January of 2011.  The 30% increase in PP&L and predictions of what might happen for PECO customers and other utilities next January have been dampened by the sour economy.  No surprise that electric demand is down due to reduced activity by commercial and industrial users.  In other states like Maryland where rate caps expired a few years ago, the utilities were looking for rate increases in the 70% range.

If you live in a utility territory where rate caps have expired, you may be able to save money by simply choosing an alternative supplier.  However, rates charged by all suppliers including the local utility will change often.  A supplier with a good price today may not be competitive a year from now.  When suppliers lock in prices for a given year, their strategies will differ and thus one might have guessed right and another guessed wrong.  Consumers will need to stay on top of the offerings to make sure they continue to get the best price.  For consumers whose utility rate caps have yet to expire, get ready.  Look for competitive supplier offerings later this year.  Even if the rates charged by your utility do not increase 30%, you can be assured that they will jump as soon as the economy begins to heat up again. 

Inevitably, a substantially higher electric (energy) bill is in your future.  So go ahead and do something about it.  Shopping for a better supplier may save you a few bucks.  But the best way to combat this is to use less energy in your home and business.  And it is easier than you might think.  Look into an energy audit to show how your home or office uses energy and whether any dangerous conditions caused by faulty systems are present.  Changes in behavior are part of the solution- turning off lights and reducing the thermostat.  As are gains in indoor comfort and lower energy use that come from doing basic weatherization- sealing air leaks, insulating walls and attics, and ensuring that HVAC systems are operating safely and efficiently. 
 
 
Your home is a system with several important parts that are important for your comfort, your health and safety. If the system works efficiently it also good for your pocketbook and hopefully for the environment.

The parts are the envelope that protects you from weather and wind, your appliances and lighting, your heating and cooling, and the ventilation.

Most homeowners put out fires. They react when something goes wrong. And the action is often made without taking the home as a system in to consideration.

You might want to take control of your home once and for all. And to stop putting out fires. A comprehensive energy audit performed by a building expert is the right thing to do. The audit will give you an understanding of what is good and what is not so good about the building you are living in. The audit will show you what you can do today and tomorrow to make your home a better place to live in.

The audit is your holistic approach to energy efficiency. With the audit in hand you can make informed decisions about how you can improve your home for better comfort, and make it healthier and safer for yourself and the environment.

Also, you will be able to prepare yourself for the inevitable rising cost of energy.