Geothermal vs Air Source Heat Pump: Which is Worth It?

/ 6 hours ago February 24, 2026

From Undecided with Matt Ferrell.

Geothermal vs Air Source Heat Pump: Which is Worth It? What if the most efficient way to heat and cool your home might not actually be the best choice for you? Geothermal heat pumps are the gold standard for efficiency. They’re also the most expensive upfront investment you can make in your home’s HVAC system. So, are they really worth it? Or should you go with an air source heat pump instead? I’ve been living with my geothermal system for two years now. I reached out to my friend Paul Braren, who installed an air source heat pump system in his home around the same time I was building mine. We’re both in New England, we both have detailed energy monitoring, and we both ditched fossil fuels completely. It’s the perfect setup for a real-world comparison. Here’s the thing, though. After crunching the numbers, this isn’t going to be the straightforward "geothermal wins" or "air source is better" story you might expect. The actual data surprised both of us.

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Chapters
00:00 – Intro
01:56 – My Geothermal Journey
02:59 – Paul’s Air Source Experience
04:10 – The Contractor Reality
05:17 – Living With The Systems
08:27 – The Dehumidifier Situation
09:13 – The ERV Integration Issue
10:32 – The Data Showdown
12:53 – Seasonal Performance
14:25 – The Cost Question
16:46 – The New England Challenge
17:32 – When Each System Makes Sense

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