Why is My Energy Bill So High?
- Valerie Rogers
- Feb 28
- 6 min read
Understanding Your Home’s Energy Consumption & the Role Your Geothermal Heat Pump Plays In It
Recently we have been getting inquires as to why our clients’ electric bills are so high here in Connecticut. Many think their bills are higher because their geothermal unit is “not working right.”
First, it is important to understand that your geothermal heat pump uses electricity to provide heating and cooling to your home. Secondly, it is important to understand that geothermal is the MOST efficient heating and cooling system available. (more on this below) And thirdly, I personally think it is unfair to solely “blame” high electric bills on the geothermal heat pump without understanding what your system and home is using based on kilowatt hours. (more on this below).
4 Things to Know to Help You Answer Your Question of:
“How Much Electricity Does a Geothermal Heat Pump Use?”
AHRI Certificate of Product Rating
Kilowatt Tracking Data
Understanding your Electric Bill
Understanding the Weather Data
1 AHRI Certificate of Product Rating
What is an AHRI Rating?
AHRI stands for “Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute”. An AHRI certification confirms efficiency ratings of specific combinations of outdoor heat pumps, geothermal heat pumps (indoor) and/or furnaces in the case of a dual-fuel system.
The AHRI number can be understood as a unique ID for heat pump and furnace components that were tested as one system. The AHRI Certification Program conducts third party testing to confirm performance ratings of heat pumps, and other mechanical systems. The performance ratings for a tested heat pump system are then certified in the form of an AHRI certificate and AHRI reference number.
Here is the direct link to the AHRI website https://www.ahridirectory.org
This is an example of what an ARHI Certificate looks like.
Understanding your AHRI Certificate
What does the AHRI certificate tell you?
There is a lot of information regarding the efficiency of a heat pump on the AHRI Certificate. This article will focus on the items A - F of the AHRI Certificate.
A = The AHRI certificate Number
B = The model number of your machine
C = Tells you the Brand Name
This AHRI Certificate is for a 3-ton HYT036 geothermal heat pump Manufactured by Enertech with the Brand name, Hydron Module
D = Most geothermal machines have 2 fan speeds, high and low. Most geothermal machines will run on low (or part load) for about 80% of the time. For the other 20% of the time, it will run at high speed or Full Load.
E = Is the EER Rating. EER stands for “Energy Efficiency Rating”. All Air Conditioning units use a SEER rating. SEER stands for “Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating.” This is because SEER units rely on the season it is being used in. Standard air conditioner (outside condenser units) with a SEER rating of 14 or 15 or 16 are considered very good and efficient in New England temperatures.
Because geothermal does not rely on the “season” (it’s a constant 55 degrees underground year-round) they get an EER rating instead. You will see in this example, that is highlighted in YELLOW , that the HYT036 geothermal unit has an EER rating higher than a traditional air conditining unit:
Full-load (being used 20% of the time) = 20.90
And
Part Load (being used 80% of the time) = 31.30
This is about TRIPLE the efficiency of a standard air conditioning condenser.
The heating efficiency is measured in COP, or Coefficient of Performance. In 2012, as part of the Energy Star Rating system, the minimum COP for a heat pump was set at 3.2.
A COP of 3.0, means that for every unit of energy used, it produces 3 units of energy. It is a 1-to-3 ratio. Electric baseboard heating systems have a COP of 1.0, meaning for every 1 input of electricity, it produces 1 unit back.
To put this in perspective; the COP of fossil fuel heating systems is .98 or less.
On the AHRI Certificate you see that the HYT036 heat pump heating efficiency, highlighted in ORANGE, has a COP of:
Full-load (being used 20% of the time) = 4.50
And
Part Load (being used 80% of the time) = 5.10
The HYT036 unit when operating 80% of time has a 1-to-5 ratio. This means that for every 1 unit of energy it takes to run that machine, it is producing 5 units of energy back.
2 Kilowatt Tracking Data
Understanding exactly what your heat pump is using for energy will require a tracking system to be installed on the breaker. There are multiple devices out there. We recommend Emporia Gen 3 Smart Home Energy Monitor.
Once installed (suggested by a licensed electrician) begin keeping track of the data so you can accurately know the exact kilowatt hours being used by the geothermal unit. Gather the data and let us know the results.
You can then use the exact kWh number you collect and multiply it with your current utility kilowatt-hour rate. This will tell you exactly how much your geothermal unit is costing you based on real data. I'll outline our "real life" example below.
3 Understanding your Electric Bill
Below is a link from the Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel that describes the various sections on your Eversource Bill.
Here is the link to Eversource’s explanation of understanding your Bill:
Real Example
4600sqf home. Built with SIP panels (structurally insulated panels) tight home.
5-ton heat pump. Two Zones.
Inside temp: 68-70 degrees
Emporia Gen3 installed on heat pump breaker
Eversource Bill for January 2025
As of the date of this writing, there are four sections to our Eversource Bill.
(no judgement, please. Yes, we are energy hogs.)
1. Supply = $519.83
2. Transmission = $169.74
3. Local Delivery = $411.09
4. Public Benefit = $440.06
Total Monthly Bill $1,540.72
The usage for this billing cycle can be found below. It was 4991.00kWh.
Bill total = $1,540.72 / 4991.0kWh = $0.309 per kWh
Using the Emporia Gen3 Data, for this exact time frame (the month of January 2025) we know our 5-ton heat pump used 1,223 kWh.
Geothermal Heating Cost for January = 1223 kWh x $0.309. = $377.54
The average outside temperature for the billing area was 28.1 degrees F
I now know, with certainity that my geothermal heat pump cost me $377.54 of my utility bill. (Remember this "number" includes supply, delivery, transmission and public benefits.)
4 Understanding the Weather Data
Below is the link to the National Weather Service website where you can search your area for your average temperatures (and much more).
Weather data is important to you as it helps to explain the role your geothermal heat pump plays in your energy consumption.
2024-2025 is seeing one of the coldest winters in 10 years. While it is not THE coldest winter, it is colder than previous years. Even a degree or two can impact your power bill. There are some sources that will claim:
“Cold winters have minimal impact on your power bill for geothermal heating because the system draws heat from the earth's constant underground temperature, meaning even when the surface is freezing, the heat source remains relatively stable, resulting in consistent energy costs regardless of extreme outside temperatures.”
This is all true. However, if your house is not well insulated that heat will navigate to all the “cold” spots – no matter how tiny -and slip away. Insulation really matters when you consider your energy bill. Having a leaky home will force the geothermal unit to work harder to maintain the comfort of your home.
Having a Home Energy Audit completed by a professional is highly recommended. King Energy LLC partners with Lantern Energy. You can reach out to Lantern at 877-878-3006 to schedule an assessment. Or visit their website here: https://www.lanternenergy.com/
In conclusion, it is helpful to track your geothermal heat pumps usage by installing a tracking device like the Emporia Gen3. Then when your energy bill arrives, you can be comparing apples to apples to clearly understand the kilowatt per hour that your heat pump is working to provide you your comfort for your home.
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