buckeyefarmer
Epic Contributor
If you have space to go horizontal, the loops can be very inexpensive if you can did it yourself.
Geo Thermal System question
- Thread starter rgood
- Start date
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DKCDKC
Platinum Member
I've had a geothermal system for 11 years, using horizontal loops buried six feet down. It has been almost maintenance free and heats/cools my 3,000 sq foot, many windowed ranch home for a fraction of what I paid for a similar home with dual fuel (high efficiency heat pump/oil furnace). AC is wonderful.
I paid about $10,000 extra for the system - over a standard heat pump - and believe it has paid that extra cost off now.
I paid about $10,000 extra for the system - over a standard heat pump - and believe it has paid that extra cost off now.
doxford jim
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2007
- Messages
- 1,004
- Location
- British Columbia, Canada
- Tractor
- 1959 MF-65 sold, 2007 Jinma 554 diesel.
Hi guys,
Thought I would add my two cents worth on Geothermal systems. I live in central BC (Canada) where the weather runs from -40F in winter on occasion, to 100F in the summer.
I bought my place in 2005 with a geothermal already installed, but also have a propane furnace as a back up unit.
For Florida, I would think the geothermal would work really well and the main function would be some warming, but mostly cooling.
My system is in ground, closed loop with the pipes buried about eight feet down. House size is 2,500 sq,feet. System repairs can be expensive for parts - everything is expensive in Canada, for some reason. It would be even more expensive if the actual repair work is done by a HVAC technician.
For me, the system has worked well, but it is around 20 years old or close to that (best I can figure). I have had to replace the fan motor and the control board, starting relay and capacitors in the seven years.
My understanding is about 2/3 of the total cost of a system is the inground pipework (excavating/drilling, pipe install etc.).
For those in the more northern areas of the US, the geothermal works for cold temperatures, but barely keeps up with outside temperatures hovering in the -40F range and gets to be very expensive with electricity costs. I have a propane back up furnace using 100 lb bottle of fuel. I am looking at getting a 500 gallon propane tank installed for really cold temperatures. When really low temps, the propane boil off is reduced and the bigger storage tank, the better the heating supply. Of course, with very cold outside temperature, one is more or less forced to have a "back up" heating system for safety reasons.
Just thought I would toss this out for general info and hope it hasn't strayed too far from the original thread.
Jim.
Thought I would add my two cents worth on Geothermal systems. I live in central BC (Canada) where the weather runs from -40F in winter on occasion, to 100F in the summer.
I bought my place in 2005 with a geothermal already installed, but also have a propane furnace as a back up unit.
For Florida, I would think the geothermal would work really well and the main function would be some warming, but mostly cooling.
My system is in ground, closed loop with the pipes buried about eight feet down. House size is 2,500 sq,feet. System repairs can be expensive for parts - everything is expensive in Canada, for some reason. It would be even more expensive if the actual repair work is done by a HVAC technician.
For me, the system has worked well, but it is around 20 years old or close to that (best I can figure). I have had to replace the fan motor and the control board, starting relay and capacitors in the seven years.
My understanding is about 2/3 of the total cost of a system is the inground pipework (excavating/drilling, pipe install etc.).
For those in the more northern areas of the US, the geothermal works for cold temperatures, but barely keeps up with outside temperatures hovering in the -40F range and gets to be very expensive with electricity costs. I have a propane back up furnace using 100 lb bottle of fuel. I am looking at getting a 500 gallon propane tank installed for really cold temperatures. When really low temps, the propane boil off is reduced and the bigger storage tank, the better the heating supply. Of course, with very cold outside temperature, one is more or less forced to have a "back up" heating system for safety reasons.
Just thought I would toss this out for general info and hope it hasn't strayed too far from the original thread.
Jim.
rgood:
If you are interested, I did a series of posts on my geo system.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/74680-geothermal-heat-pump-project.html#post831419
paul
If you are interested, I did a series of posts on my geo system.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/74680-geothermal-heat-pump-project.html#post831419
paul
71bronco
Gold Member
The company that installed mine used a line boring machine. If I remember right they put in 6-200 ft loops about 20 ft down. They went right under my septic and the only excavating was a 12 ft trench for the manifold where they hooked all the loops together and then where it went in the house. I've had it 2 years now and it works great :thumbsup::thumbsup:.
Jeff
Jeff
whistlepig
Elite Member
Geothermal was installed in our home in 1999. It's a horizontal closed loop system. The initial cost for installation was $19,000 by a contractor. We have a WaterFurnace. I did some research a few months ago and this same system would cost $22,000 these days. It's expensive to install but extremely cheap to operate. Since 1999 we have had it fail only once. The blower motor on the furnace went bad and it was covered under the 10 year warranty. We did have to pay for a $70.00 service call to replace the blower motor. We do have auxiliary heat option. I.E. the furnace will turn into a full blown electric furnace if the geothermal can't keep up with the cold. Since 1999 the auxiliary heat has only kicked about 6 times and for only for a short time. When the auxiliary heat did kick in it was temps of 20 degrees below zero or more.