Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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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Paul Braren - After 4 New England Winters Living With Just Heat Pumps - tinkertry.com/planning-for-heat-pump-comfort
Watch What I Got Wrong Building My Net Zero Home youtu.be/hb2x5VcUT0I?list=PLnTSM-ORSgi7uzySCXq8VXhodHB5B5OiQ
Video script and citations:
https://undecided.tech/geothermal-vs-air-source-heat-pump-which-is-worth-it/
Get my achieve energy security with solar guide:
undecided.link/solar-guide
Follow-up podcast:
Video version - youtube.com/channel/UC4-aWB84Bupf5hxGqrwYqLA
Audio version - undecided.link/stilltbd-podcast
Join the Undecided Discord server:
undecided.link/discord
👋 Support Undecided on Patreon!
patreon.com/mattferrell
⚙️ Gear & Products I Like
https://undecided.tech/shop/
Visit my Energysage Portal (US):
Research solar panels, heat pumps, and more to get quotes for free!
undecided.link/energysage
For a curated solar buying experience (Canada)
EnergyPal's free personalized quotes:
undecided.link/energypal
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instagram.com/undecidedtech
Website
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Some music provided by Epidemic Sound
undecided.link/epidemic
I may earn a small commission for my endorsement or recommendation to products or services linked above, but I wouldn't put them here if I didn't like them. Your purchase helps support the channel and the videos I produce. Thank you.
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
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.
Check out All Things AI At Micro Center: https://micro.center/64bcba
Shop AI Workstations and More: https://micro.center/b4798b
Sign Up For a FREE 128gig Flash Drive: https://micro.center/0e8370
Visit Micro Center News: https://micro.center/595f46
Paul Braren - After 4 New England Winters Living With Just Heat Pumps - tinkertry.com/planning-for-heat-pump-comfort
Watch What I Got Wrong Building My Net Zero Home youtu.be/hb2x5VcUT0I?list=PLnTSM-ORSgi7uzySCXq8VXhodHB5B5OiQ
Video script and citations:
https://undecided.tech/geothermal-vs-air-source-heat-pump-which-is-worth-it/
Get my achieve energy security with solar guide:
undecided.link/solar-guide
Follow-up podcast:
Video version - youtube.com/channel/UC4-aWB84Bupf5hxGqrwYqLA
Audio version - undecided.link/stilltbd-podcast
Join the Undecided Discord server:
undecided.link/discord
👋 Support Undecided on Patreon!
patreon.com/mattferrell
⚙️ Gear & Products I Like
https://undecided.tech/shop/
Visit my Energysage Portal (US):
Research solar panels, heat pumps, and more to get quotes for free!
undecided.link/energysage
For a curated solar buying experience (Canada)
EnergyPal's free personalized quotes:
undecided.link/energypal
👉 Follow Me
Mastodon
https://mastodon.social/@mattferrell
X
twitter.com/mattferrell
https://x.com/undecidedtech
instagram.com/mattferrell
instagram.com/undecidedtech
Website
undecidedtech.com
Some music provided by Epidemic Sound
undecided.link/epidemic
I may earn a small commission for my endorsement or recommendation to products or services linked above, but I wouldn't put them here if I didn't like them. Your purchase helps support the channel and the videos I produce. Thank you.
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
