Geothermal heat pump install with crawlspace encapsulation

[JimRB]

They bore all the time running fiber all around Atlanta. Somehow those machines get around rock. Probably boring costs more than digging as deep as the backhoe will go and then running slinky coils. I suspect that up where it is cold going 7-8 deeper than a basic backhoe will go makes the geothermal more efficient.

Now I am curious how they get the bored lines to bond with the earth. When they do slinky loops they back fill with dirt, water to settle, backfill some more and water, and then keep adding. That said I have some trench areas that sunk 6 or more inches over the past 17 years. I guess that means my efficiency should be going up as the earth is tighter to the coils.

 

[dpb800]

They use grout and pump it in as they pull the new lines through the bore hole. That provides good thermal contact with the earth. There is no settling with boring.

 

[Redneck in training]

We have reversible Waterfurnace geothermal with floor heating and high pressure fan coil for AC installed since 2004. We have two propane fireplaces as heat backup and sometime for ambiance. So far our geo works very well but if I build our house today I would use mini-split units and I would invest saved money in PV panels and there would be money left to buy a tractor stuff. The modern mini splits are very quiet inside and outside as well, phenomenally efficient, easy and fast to install and replace, they are way cheaper than Geo and you get a zone for every room in the house and redundant sources of heat and AC as well. We have one in my shop office and one in a guest room for about two years. They are Fujitsu Halcyon but there are other brands that are as good or perhaps even better. Another advantage is that you can get by with much smaller generator because all modern one have "soft" start and you can turn some completely off during outage while maintaining comfort in at least in some areas.

 

[farmer2009]

They bore all the time running fiber all around Atlanta. Somehow those machines get around rock. Probably boring costs more than digging as deep as the backhoe will go and then running slinky coils. I suspect that up where it is cold going 7-8 deeper than a basic backhoe will go makes the geothermal more efficient. Now I am curious how they get the bored lines to bond with the earth. When they do slinky loops they back fill with dirt, water to settle, backfill some more and water, and then keep adding. That said I have some trench areas that sunk 6 or more inches over the past 17 years. I guess that means my efficiency should be going up as the earth is tighter to the coils.

Your 6 inches of settling is about right as your pipes are probably around 6 feet deep. A general rule of thumb for my area is to expect an inch of settling per foot of fill. Really has to be filled right to not be close to this.

Been some good reading on a geo system for me.

 

[KRBrouwer]

Very Timely. Who are you getting to do the install, I live just north of you in Chapel Hill.

Ken

 

[KRBrouwer]

Meant this for Country Geek in Apex.

Ken

 

[JimRB]

I was assuming some sort of grout process. I need to search out some videos on that process.

 

[wngsprd]

Your 6 inches of settling is about right as your pipes are probably around 6 feet deep. A general rule of thumb for my area is to expect an inch of settling per foot of fill. Really has to be filled right to not be close to this.

Been some good reading on a geo system for me.

Ours was installed in 1998, and we've had about 6 inches of settling, also. I've done some backfilling and the trenches are mostly smooth now, and of course the pasture has grown back, but I'd still like to do it once more - maybe a good excuse for a box blade.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I have added once for settling, and needs it again.

added some pics, because TBN loves pics....

 

[Country Geek]

Very Timely. Who are you getting to do the install, I live just north of you in Chapel Hill.

Ken

Sent you a PM