I'm building a 2,000sf ranch home w/walk out in the rural LaCrosse Wisconsin area and we’re at the point of contemplating the HVAC system. I have no experience with a Geo Thermal HVAC system and it would blow my budget out of the water (it's apx twice the price even after the 30% tax credit), however the idea of not having to rely on LP as my heat source along with the long term cost saving (6-7 year return) appeals to me. Do you have any experience with Geo? I’d appreciate your feedback. Thanks-PZ
Geo Thermal vs. LP Furnace and A/C Condensing Unit?
- Thread starter fcat700
- Start date
I dont see the cost of energy going down .do U?
If I was building new and had the ability to pay it off over 15 yrs I would do it.
A few of my customers have had it for yrs and they all say the same thing .they were told it would take X amount of yrs to pay for it self. and it always payed for it self a few yrs sooner.once again energy cost rarely goes down but always goes up.
and with the planed bankruptcy of the coal industry I cant see your cooling cost doing anything but tripling in under 8 yrs.
yrs from now U will be kicking yourself hard for not biting the bullet now.
are u thinking dropping the pipe down well holes or coils in a big field ?
Go Fast or Go Home
Active member
I have had Geothermal for 20 years. I was also told the payback would be about 8 years or so. I was paid back in 4 years.
Other than filters the only repairs I have done is two water pumps at about $250 each. So $500 in repairs in 20 years I think is pretty good.
My system is a pump and dump. I live on a lake and the excess water dumps into the lake and is not recirculated underground.
Another thing to consider is putting a smaller water heater (do not wire it in ) in front of and tie into your main water heater. It will catch excess preheated water and supplement your main water heater,
Hope this helps in your decision making.
Other than filters the only repairs I have done is two water pumps at about $250 each. So $500 in repairs in 20 years I think is pretty good.
My system is a pump and dump. I live on a lake and the excess water dumps into the lake and is not recirculated underground.
Another thing to consider is putting a smaller water heater (do not wire it in ) in front of and tie into your main water heater. It will catch excess preheated water and supplement your main water heater,
Hope this helps in your decision making.
L
lenny
Guest
great post and thanks! Could you describe in a nut shell the principle of GT. I have heard a little about it capturing the heat and cool underground and circulating it but would love to hear it from someone who uses it, thanks!
I'd have to agree, the cost of power will do nothing but rise no doubt. Although there is plenty of room for a coil field the house sits on sandstone so it's likely they would have to dill.
Go Fast or Go Home
Active member
Geothermal Units use the water in the ground which is already at 55 degrees naturally, so when you set your thermostat to 72 degrees it only has to heat the water 17 degrees. I believe it does the same for cooling. I also tapped into the discharge line and ran it underground to water my wife's flower garden in the Summer.
The brand name I have is called Water Furnace.
I have a 3000 square foot house and my entire utility bill runs $130 per month. Keep a check on the warning lights on your circuit board indicator, because if you have a low water flow (usually because I forgot to change the water filter) it will default to electric mode. That month my utility bill was $290. I don't make that mistake any more.
The brand name I have is called Water Furnace.
I have a 3000 square foot house and my entire utility bill runs $130 per month. Keep a check on the warning lights on your circuit board indicator, because if you have a low water flow (usually because I forgot to change the water filter) it will default to electric mode. That month my utility bill was $290. I don't make that mistake any more.
dj2muchjunk
New member
I think its way more technical than that, its like the opposite of air conditioning where you squeeze the heat out and keep the cold. Do some research on line and you will learn a lot of how much heat you can get out of cold air,water , and ground.
Go Fast or Go Home
Active member
You're correct--It is more technical than that. I'm not a technician. I turn my thermostat to the desired temperature and it works. My unit has a compressor in it. The poster asked for a nutshell answer.
Rupp Collector
Active member
Here in Michigan, I get a reduced electric rate for my Geo unit, hot water and water pump, which are on a seperate meter. I've had my system since 1998 and have had one service call. My system utilizes two well casings driven to the same depth with the waste water returning to the original source. I've yet to have a $60 electric bill for heat, and normally runs $3 for air a month. We do have very good water. If water quality is poor, I would go with a closed loop system vs. pump and dump.
anonomoose
New member
This is all about replacement heat...suck the heat out of a consistent water temp and dumping cold in winter and reverse in summer. The colder the water the more work it takes to get the temps up to a good exchange temperature, or down to it in the summer. You have to suck heat out in winter so you need to wick away the heat to get it up to well above the 70 temp to get an effective exchange process going. Efficiency drops off as the temperature of the source liquid drops, which is why the air to air thing doesn't work as well as a more consistent temp of ground water does. Air temps vary widely, and ground water stays more of a steady state.
If you can afford to do it, clearly it is a great investment...probably better than anything else you can do to your home at the moment and a future selling point to a perspective buyer. It equates to telling a buyer that the property taxes are half of those of the neighbors. Who wouldn't want that?
If you can afford to do it, clearly it is a great investment...probably better than anything else you can do to your home at the moment and a future selling point to a perspective buyer. It equates to telling a buyer that the property taxes are half of those of the neighbors. Who wouldn't want that?
Geo systems are great if,and I will say it again If,drill costs are low,you are not going to run out of water. And the water you are using isn't muddy. The system in question sounds like a water source heat pump. Heat pumps only last 15 years,because they run year round. There are a lot of different geo systems out there,so you need to compare pay back with the same system in the same climate. A buddy cools his house with geo. Pumps well water from one well,through chill water fan coil units,and back into another well head,or into the irrigation system. He uses gas hot water boilers to heat the house,the pay back for heating with geo,just isn't there. What I'm trying to say is,every property is different .
Thanks all for your input. The system I'm considering (Climate Master 5 ton TTV064) is called a "Ground Loop Heat Pump" and I believe it uses the earths constant temperature to heat/cool the water/antifreeze in a closed system rather than using ground water. I apologize for the lack of details in my initial post. PZ
favoritos
Well-known member
Closed loop is the new norm. Do you have the ability to do a horizontal field? I ask, because it would be cheaper. I'd like to know if you are looking at a water storage system for the heating/cooling. We have what our utilities support/discount in our region, but it is much different than friends and families systems. We run dual fuel without water storage. It is efficient as crazy, especially when running cooling. But, it is undersized when the temps start getting really cold. I have added a lot of insulation the house to prevent the problem, but it fought to stay off the gas before the extra work insulating.
The "pump is only one component of the system. Make sure you have a system that is supported by your utility company if you really want to make it save you money.
I did a lot of research before purchasing. I am still learning about the purchase. They take a lot of electric, but if you size them right, you will get the best returns.
The "pump is only one component of the system. Make sure you have a system that is supported by your utility company if you really want to make it save you money.
I did a lot of research before purchasing. I am still learning about the purchase. They take a lot of electric, but if you size them right, you will get the best returns.
While systems like this can save you money in the long run don't overlook the less expensive component of good insulation. Going with a system like John is using with expanding foam can pay great dividends. Our ~2,900 sq foot house with a zoned 95% trane gas furnace and a 1,000 sq foot garage (14' ceilings) heated to ~ 50 using an 80% unit heater insulated with blown cellulose in the walls and ceiling has never resulted in a gas bill over $120 in the last 5 years and no, we are not using the budget plan, that is actual gas usage...
