Considering ground-source heat pump, advice or suggestions?

[fishheadbob]

I have a 7 ton Waterfurnace, horizontal loop field 8 feet down under the clay and into shale. Two years of use and it works like a dream. I had heated with wood for 30+ years, 20+ face cords per year, and paid close to $40 per month for propane exclusively for hot water ( the propane company was nailing me for being a small scale user.) I would also burn several hundred bucks of heating oil per year on my oil burner backup which was definitely getting old. We can take a run at -30F on a real bad day.
My unit priced out around $24k. 30% federal tax credit, and another $5000 from the State of New York made the price affordable. My electric bills went up about $30 per month which is less than I was paying for propane hot water, I don't wrestle making 20 cords a year, and I rarely see my chiropractor anymore. Throw in central air, plus we keep the house a few degrees warmer than we did with wood. The breaker on the electric heat strips has been in the off position since day 1.
I should have done it years earlier.

 

[wngsprd]

We've been happy with ours since installing in 1998...3 horizontal runs 6' in mostly clay soil. Original unit was a Carrier but not well designed. Replaced it with a ClimateMaster about 4 years ago that was much better designed and runs more efficiently. Set up on 5 zones, super quiet and connected to hot water heater.

Had been using an internet source for the big filters, but found that Amazon had the same brand much cheaper.

 

[MacLawn]

Well, I need to revisit this heat pump talk. Just got home from month trip to condensate dripping all over closet floor where inside unit is located. The water ran under hardwood floor about 18' in living room. This is third time! I'm totally fed up with heat pumps!! This is NOT condensate drain problem, but dripping from that slanted finned thing before all the condensate runs into the drain pan. It's ruined hardwood floor section. This is one reason I like the Japanese mini split units. I just had two put in our place in Japan and have been using them there since the '80s. My only issue with them is I would need at least 5 wall units and still wouldn't have heat/cool in bathrooms. That's advantage of ducted system.

So, I'm back to considering geothermal. I won't live long enough for payback, but don't care. I just want something that works!! My ac man is coming today for his biannual check up, coincidentally at the same time this mess happened. The company does geothermal, but I'm not certain how committed they are to geothermal. It seems lately about all companies have added geothermal and mini splits to their offerings...

If I figure out we can afford it, I'm going with geothermal! Any more advice welcome.

 

[mapper]

Well, I need to revisit this heat pump talk. Just got home from month trip to condensate dripping all over closet floor where inside unit is located. The water ran under hardwood floor about 18' in living room. This is third time! I'm totally fed up with heat pumps!! This is NOT condensate drain problem, but dripping from that slanted finned thing before all the condensate runs into the drain pan. It's ruined hardwood floor section. This is one reason I like the Japanese mini split units. I just had two put in our place in Japan and have been using them there since the '80s. My only issue with them is I would need at least 5 wall units and still wouldn't have heat/cool in bathrooms. That's advantage of ducted system.

So, I'm back to considering geothermal. I won't live long enough for payback, but don't care. I just want something that works!! My ac man is coming today for his biannual check up, coincidentally at the same time this mess happened. The company does geothermal, but I'm not certain how committed they are to geothermal. It seems lately about all companies have added geothermal and mini splits to their offerings...

If I figure out we can afford it, I'm going with geothermal! Any more advice welcome.

Sounds like it is a condensate drain problem, the finned thing is the inside heat exchanger and when the unit is in cooling mode condensate will form on it. That sort of problem can happen with any air conditioner or heat pump run in cooling mode. Always a good idea to check the drain pump and drain pipes that move it outdoors or down a drain somewhere before every summer season. That includes miniskirt type units that are used in cooling mode. The condensate has to go somwhere!

 

[MacLawn]

Mapper, my quote from above:

典his is NOT condensate drain problem, but dripping from that slanted finned thing before all the condensate runs into the drain pan.

There is not a pump for condensate drain. Lines are clean and clear, this is a verified Carrier design flaw for the slanted coil.