NH Clean Tech Council – Member Spotlight

In New Hampshire, as in many New England states, heating and cooling are of vital importance to maintain comfort and health during our sometimes brutally cold winters and increasingly hot, humid summers. In this day and age, a homeowner has many options to chose from when it comes to heating and cooling systems; and one of the best options is geothermal.

Geothermal systems tap into the natural energy source underground to heat and cool your home. On the surface, it's as simple as that.

And when you need installation or maintenance on a geothermal system, look no further than Ultra Geothermal and proud co-owner, Melissa Aho. Melissa founded the company with husband Darren Rice. Based in Barrington, NH, Ultra Geothermal is an expert in geothermal systems, with over 20 years of experience and over 1,200 systems installed.

For Melissa, the industry is an exciting one, constantly offering new challenges and opportunities for new knowledge and specialization. When customer's needs or renewable energy policies change, Ultra Geothermal adapts and evolve. Recently they began to specialize in air-source heat pumps in addition to ground source systems, and in a short period of time have already installed 200–300.

Now with the 30% tax credit reinstated for geothermal systems, the focus is back. There are three main reasons a homeowner may consider a geothermal system, either as a retrofit in an existing home or when constructing a new home. First, geothermal systems can save 50–70% over conventional systems and protect you from the volatile price spikes of fossil heating fuels. Second, geothermal can result in improved air quality and comfort in a home, all with equipment that is much quieter than an average fossil fuel system. Lastly, geothermal is a solid choice for the environmentally-minded. Geothermal systems are 300–500% efficient compared to 90% efficiency for fossil fuel systems and create no emissions.

After the list above, it's hard to believe there could be more benefits. But when a homeowner chooses Ultra Geothermal, they also have access to a wide berth of resources provided by the company, including a database of maintenance videos, educational material, frequently asked questions, financing options, and beyond.

For Melissa, it's all about the moral commitment Ultra Geothermal has to their customers and the community. Many of the approximately dozen staff members have been with the company for over 10 years. From offering DIY maintenance options to homeowners, to charitable contributions to a variety of causes including children's education, to changing their entire business model to operate on a smaller carbon footprint, Ultra Geothermal walks the walk and talks the talk.