Couple Revives an Old Farmhouse with Sustainable Technology

The owners didn’t have to choose between preserving history and embracing innovation when adding heating and cooling to their renovated house. 

When we first saw our c. 1770 farmhouse in upstate New York, most would have written it off as beyond repair. But we’ve built our lives around looking past peeling paint and slanting shutters to breathe new life into old houses. Could we preserve the story of this house while ushering in its next chapter?

Without questions, yes. And we’d bring a millions-strong community of old house lovers along for the journey with us. 

We knew we had found our forever home, where we’d enjoy snowy winters, warm summers, and a quieter pace away from the lights, cameras, and nonstop action of a television series and booming business. 

This renovation wasn’t just about reviving the Early American artistry of the hand-hewn beams, wavy glass windows, and hand-forged hardware. We wanted to create a home that would thrive over the next 250 years.

Alongside painstaking efforts to repair crumbling chimneys and rebuild the foundation, we prioritized making sustainable choices. One of the most significant was installing a geothermal heat pump system to provide clean and comfortable heating and cooling all year round. For us, geothermal wasn’t just practical; it was a natural extension of our commitment to blending historical integrity with modern innovation.

A geothermal heat pump offered Ethan and Elizabeth a cleaner option to increase the energy efficiency of their older house while reducing future energy costs and integrating sustainable elements that align with their values. 

Why Geothermal?

Old homes should retain their soul—that’s a non-negotiable for us. But we’re no strangers to the challenges often associated with an old house: windows drafty from years of deferred maintenance, uneven (sometimes nonexistent!) insulation, and energy bills that can send shivers down your spine. 

A geothermal heat pump offered us a cleaner option to increase energy efficiency while reducing future energy costs and integrating sustainable elements that aligned with our values.

With its unmatched consistency and efficiency, geothermal heating and cooling (yes cooling!) can keep us cozy in the winter and cool in the summer with a practical, eco-friendly approach. Plus, we can leverage the system for our hot water heater, offering us two to three times more energy efficiency than a traditional electric water heater and reducing our carbon footprint. 

Another reason we fell in love with geothermal is its minimal impact on the landscape. There are no bulky outdoor condensers or visible mini-splits interfering with architecture —a historic preservationist’s dream come true. Beyond the aesthetic, geothermal loops are buried beneath our property, leaving the field above free for planting crops and uninterrupted views. It’s a system designed to work with and be powered by the land, not against it.

What’s also exciting for us is the potential to pair geothermal with solar energy. If we were to install solar panels in the future, we’d achieve complete off-grid independence. We’d produce our own electricity to power heating, cooling, groundwater systems, and septic all while reducing our carbon footprint to nearly zero. Geothermal’s efficiency and reliability make it the perfect foundation for a sustainable, self-sufficient home.

Geothermal heating and cooling keeps Ethan and Elizabeth cozy in the winter and cool in the summer. The couple can leverage the system for the hot water heater, offering two to three times more energy efficiency than a traditional electric water heater and reducing their carbon footprint. 

How It Works

One power source: the Earth! Geothermal harnesses the earth’s consistent underground temperatures to heat and cool your home. 

• A series of loops filled with water are buried in the ground, transferring heat from the Earth to a heat pump unit inside the house. We chose a ground horizontal collector for our heat loop, but there are several other options to consider. For instance, a pond loop collector works well if you have a pond nearby, while a ground loop collector with condensed loops or a ground vertical collector may be better suited for urban and suburban properties with limited land.
• Installation was so straightforward. We partnered with a participating New York State Clean Heat contractor. First, they dug trenches about 4 to 6 feet deep to lay a series of pipes, which were then connected to a heat pump unit inside the house. The horizontal loops, which take up about 2 acres of our 11-acre property, work in conjunction with a duct system to distribute heated or cooled air throughout the home. Once the system is installed and the trenches are backfilled, the land is returned to its existing beauty ready for a garden to be planted. 
• Our geothermal system can be monitored remotely. We no longer have to worry about pipes freezing and bursting during a winter storm if we’re away. These modern conveniences not only simplify our lives but also add an extra layer of security, control and peace of mind.
• Geothermal heating and cooling make us self-sufficient — no relying on fuel deliveries, no matter how far below zero the temperatures drop. The system is remarkably low-maintenance. With ground loops lasting over 50 years and a 10-year warranty on our unit, this investment isn’t just for us; it’s for future caretakers of this home. 
• Generous federal and state tax credits cut the overall cost in half! Long-term savings make the upfront cost manageable for us. It’s not an expense, it’s an investment … and a no-brainer in our opinion!

A Future-Proof Investment

For anyone considering geothermal, we encourage you to look beyond the upfront costs. The incentives available today make a geothermal solution more accessible than ever. We took advantage of federal and state tax credits as well as utility and manufacturer rebates to make the upfront investment manageable, and we anticipate the long-term savings to be more than worthwhile. (See Geothermal System Cost Breakdown below)

Geothermal System Cost Breakdown

 

Ethan and Elizabeth used a WaterFurnace geothermal heating and cooling system, installed by Thermal Associates, a participating New York State Clean Heat contractor.

 

Cost Breakdown:

• Total cost (before incentives): $61,150
• NYS Clean Heat Rebate: $7,150
• Federal Tax Credit: $16,200
• NYS Tax Credit: $5,000
• Final cost after incentives: $32,800

For us old home obsessors, this decision wasn’t just about the initial installation costs and reducing energy bills; it was an opportunity to create a comfortable space and be more environmentally responsible while breathing life back into a charming and historic home whose story isn’t over yet.

By harnessing the power of the earth to keep this old farmhouse warm in the winter and cool in the summer, we didn’t have to choose between preserving history and embracing innovation—they will live side by side for generations to come. Sometimes the best way to honor the past is by building a smarter, more sustainable future.