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The average geothermal unit lasts about 20 years, partially because the entire unit is installed inside usually in the basement of a home or business.
"Outdoor units are exposed to so much dirt and dust in the air," he said.
Geothermal units can cost about two to 2 1/2 times what a conventional system normally costs, with the cheapest system carrying a $10,000 price tag.
"You'll spend about $20,000 to $25,000 for a system, but in seven to 10 years, you'll have it paid off," Keeven explained. "Initial costs slowed sales at first, but it wasn't until energy prices drove up that geothermal systems became more popular. We have a good product. It's the most efficient thing out there."
Stricter regulations on heating and cooling equipment also have caused several changes in the heating and cooling industry.
The government uses a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) on many heating and air-conditioning units, and the higher the ratio, the more efficient the system is.
All heating and cooling systems must have a SEER rating of 13. EnergyStar qualified central air conditioners must have a SEER rating of 14.
"That made the cheaper units come up in price, but the geothermal units didn't go up, so it actually brought the products closer together in price range," Keeven said. "It's a good time to be in the geothermal business."
The heating and cooling company has national certified geothermal technicians that can install, service and replace systems. Keeven is certified by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Fusion, the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association and other organizations.
Keeven Heating & Cooling was established April 4, 1984, by Ron and his wife Lois. The company originally serviced the St. Louis area until 1988, when the office moved to the family farm in New Haven.
Ron's sons Larry and Mike joined the family business in 1987 and 1990 respectively.
As of March 2000, the company has 10 employees and six service and installation trucks.
Keeven said his willingness to learn something new every day has kept him in business for so long.
"We're a business that deals with energy. Last year, we had a spike in energy prices, and now it's fallen back down, so we have to adjust for trends and keep up with the changes in technology," he said.
The company recently began using the method of horizontal directional boring, which is a new concept in Missouri, Keeven said.
Under this method, a ground loop system is placed horizontally underground. The loops extract heat from the earth and transfer it to the furnace inside the building. For cooling purposes, the process reverses.
Keeven is the first contractor in the eastern two-thirds of the state to offer horizontal directional geothermal boring. The company has done about a dozen systems using horizontal boring since last summer.
Compared to the former way of boring loops vertically, the horizontal way is less destructive, Keeven said.
Keeven will demonstrate the horizontal directional boring technique at an anniversary party Saturday, April 4. The event starts at noon at the Keeven ranch, located at 4852 Kiel-Lyon Road in New Haven. Food and drinks will be provided with a meal at 4 p.m.
