Environmentally Responsible Without Costing a Fortune
He may have been a fierce competitor on the ice, but these days, Mike Ault channels his energy into caring for the planet. An egg, dairy, and cattle farmer in Hanesville, Ontario, Mike has always believed in being “as environmentally responsible as possible—without spending a fortune.”
About ten years ago, when his old electric furnace was due for replacement, Mike turned to his friend Jimmie Thom of ATEL Air to install a Bard GeoTec 3-ton two-stage heat pump, connected to six-foot-deep horizontal geothermal trenches beside his home. “They did a good job—nice and neat,” says Mike. “They even changed some of the ductwork.”
The system has worked flawlessly ever since, with only minimal annual service. His small 934-square-foot home, plus loft and basement, stays comfortable year-round at a fraction of the cost of traditional systems. “Cooling in summer costs about $90 to $100 a month, and winter heat about $250,” he says. “I have no regrets—it’s a lot less than the alternatives.”
Mike even helped with the installation himself, using his excavation experience to dig the geothermal field—saving on upfront costs while keeping the project efficient.
For homeowners without the same resources, Jimmie explains that financing options make geothermal accessible, with payments often offset by monthly energy savings. “It doesn’t really have to cost you anything to upgrade to a cleaner system,” he notes.
For Mike, geothermal is part of a bigger picture. “I wanted solar too, but the local grid couldn’t handle it,” he says. “Still, we have to do what we can to protect Mother Earth.”
