Tororider
Veteran Member
Whereabouts in se mi? I am north of Ann Arbor and hoping someday to do what you are doing now. Have you looked at building with ICFs or SIPs? Just a thought.
Hey guys!
My wife and I are in the processing of building a new home out on 20 acres in southeast Michigan. Currently we use natural gas and electricity for utilities in town and our monthly bill is about $200. Out at the new place natural gas is not an option so we're stuck with propane at $1.89 a gallon. The size of our house is going to be 2800 sq feet with 1400 sq feet in the unfinished basement (9 foot concrete walls). My neighbor across said his monthly utilities bill is $600. Ouch! And his house is about the same size as ours (new one). I've been doing some reading on Geo Thermal as an option but up front costs are big. I can probably roll it into my mortgage though which might work. I was also thinking about only using propane for heat in the winter and then all other appliances could use electricity. Maybe a pellet burner?? I'm not sure what to do. Can anyone offer any advice?
Tororider said:Whereabouts in se mi? I am north of Ann Arbor and hoping someday to do what you are doing now. Have you looked at building with ICFs or SIPs? Just a thought.
dave1949 said:I lived in NW Ohio (Toledo, Bowling Green, Fremont) until I was 36 years-old. I would definitely need AC if I lived there. My Mom, who still lives in BG, just had a hot and miserable summer, so I suppose you did also.
The upfront cost of geothermal is high, but a standard air heat pump is very workable in your area. Plus, the ducting and mechanical systems in the house are close to being the same for geothermal or standard air heat pump. You could start with a regular air heat pump and if that doesn't suite, continue on with a geothermal-supplied unit later. Just reserve space in the yard for the type of geothermal system you would choose.
I am not knowledgeable enough about heat pumps to know if your best choice is to pair the AC heat pump with a furnace or use one of dual-purpose heat and AC units. I think a lot must depend on the heating/cooling degree days for your location.
Right now (and planned through 2016), you can get a 30% federal tax credit on geothermal systems. It is worth checking. Perhaps Mich. has it's own program too.
Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency : ENERGY STAR
It was a hot summer! My wife had the AC unit working overtime! I like your idea about starting with a regular heat pump and seeing how it does. The 30 percent federal tax credit will help alleviate some of the costs too. I was unaware of that credit... Thanks!