Easy On The Environment And On Your Wallet (NAPSA)—For most homeowners, up to 70 percent of a home’s total energy bill goes toward heating, cooling and hot water—so the biggest opportunity to save large amounts of money on their energy bills is to increasethe efficiency of these systems. To do this, homeowners across America are turning to geothermal heating systems. Geothermal systems, such as the Envision series by WaterFurnace, capitalize on the solar energy stored year-round just beneath the Earth’s surface. This free geothermal energy is an unlimited, renewable resource. And, according to an EPA study titled “Space Conditioning, The Next Frontier” (Report 430-R-93004), the Department of Energy and the EPA recognized geothermal systems as the most environmentally friendly, cost-effective and energy-efficient heating and cooling technology available. By reducing the demand on electric utilities, the need for new power plants is reduced, along with a reduced need for natural resources such as coal or gas used to generate electricity. These systems also help minimize the threats of acid rain, air pollution, the greenhouse effect and global warming—problems__ directly linked to the burningoffossil fuels. A typical 2,500-square-foot home with a geothermal system saves the electric utility company from having to burn more than nine additional tonsof coal a year, compared to an electric resistance heating system. You can makea significant con- tribution to a cleaner environment—while saving up to 70 per- cent on your home’s energybills. The U.S. General Accounting Office estimates that if geothermal systems were installed by most people, they could save several billion dollars annually in energy costs and substantially reducepollution. For every 100,000 residential units installed, it is the equivalent of planting 100,000 acres of trees or taking 200,000 cars permanently off the road in terms of greenhouse gas reduction. Geothermal heat pumps strengthen U.S. energy security. Every 100,000 homes with geothermal heat pump systems reduce foreign oil consumption by 2.15 million barrels annually and reduce electricity consumption by 799 million kilowatt-hours annually. To learn more about geothermal heating systems, visit www.waterfurnace.com or call (800) GEO-SAVE.
