Anyone use geothermal ground heat to heat your house, shop, office, etc... I was just looking for possibilities. If so did you use a vertical well or run piping hotizontally beneath ground.
Anybody use geothermal heating
- Thread starter mminter1973
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My folks had a Water Furnace brand geothermal system installed a little over a year ago. Works great so far. The system uses a horizontal ground loop. Pretty sure if you searched you'll find several threads from previous discussions.
Nick
Nick
I installed 1 of the 6 Florida Heat Pumps going into this job today. It's a nice self contained unit with a secondary hot water output for domestic hot water. The job is replacing existing units in an open loop system (pumps from 2 wells and dumps into a pond) I would rather a re-injection well. The problem is that the home owner told me today that his wells are sucking air when only 2 units are calling for heat. We may have to drill a 3rd well in which case I'll use the old one for re-injection.
Kevin
Kevin
Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium, Inc.
Many states offer some type of tax break and/or assistance with the purchase of a Geo system. Many factors to consider when installing. Vertical loops are more costly based on earth drilling and depth, but are used when there is not alot of property space. Horizontal systems are more cost effective, but take up more area, which may be an issue considering how you orient your home on the property- drain field, large rocks, etc... Both systems tap into the earths 50C constant temp regardless of region, you may have to dig deeper to locate it. When I build my home this system, along with radient heating, will be key for my primary heating source. Also, sidebar, they make these systems to retro fit your current heating system, which means can use them in an older home. The number one consumption appliance in most home is the hot water heater. Use geothermal to supply your HWH, and heat pump to help increase the effiency of these systems. Pay back is estimated on the east coast to approximately 10yrs.
Later
Many states offer some type of tax break and/or assistance with the purchase of a Geo system. Many factors to consider when installing. Vertical loops are more costly based on earth drilling and depth, but are used when there is not alot of property space. Horizontal systems are more cost effective, but take up more area, which may be an issue considering how you orient your home on the property- drain field, large rocks, etc... Both systems tap into the earths 50C constant temp regardless of region, you may have to dig deeper to locate it. When I build my home this system, along with radient heating, will be key for my primary heating source. Also, sidebar, they make these systems to retro fit your current heating system, which means can use them in an older home. The number one consumption appliance in most home is the hot water heater. Use geothermal to supply your HWH, and heat pump to help increase the effiency of these systems. Pay back is estimated on the east coast to approximately 10yrs.
Later
Are the geothermal systems worth the huge investment compared to a vacuum solar collector system? I am currently building my own home and am using radiant/hydronic heat in the basement slab and warmboard subfloor on the main level for the main heat source. I am planning on tying in with solar in the next couple years if my propane bill is outrageous and after we get the initial kinks out of the system.
I think you'll find that the temp of the earth is less variable than the number of days your solar system will be able to generate heat. If the investment is worth it is up to you. I can say that my folks heating bills this winter have been far less than those of years past with the new geo system installed (plus adding a bunch of insulation to the attics). We'll see after this month's bill shows up (it's been below freezing for several weeks here).
The cost of installation is also cheaper if you plan for it up front. My folks had the system installed as a retrofit to a home that didn't have a forced air system. I'd bet at least a third of the cost of their install was in trying to run new ductwork through an existing home.
Good luck!
Nick
The cost of installation is also cheaper if you plan for it up front. My folks had the system installed as a retrofit to a home that didn't have a forced air system. I'd bet at least a third of the cost of their install was in trying to run new ductwork through an existing home.
Good luck!
Nick
Difficult question???
Geo thermal is the way to go!!
Having said that there are way to many variables to give a black or white answer?
Fact: Geothermal is a renewable energy source for most of the world
Fact: Geothermal costs alot more (ask your contractor for a payback time)
Fact: Geothermal requires the right ground conditions and surface area to be effective
Fact: Geothermal is the most efficient energy source available for common applications
Fact: Geothermal must be installed by an expert who has local knowledge (there is a big difference between installs in the desert, the far north, the eastern south the coastal regions north and south)
Non-fact Hot water heating is the biggest energy consumer! (depends on your local! south=cooling, north=heating, water heating= consumption v/s heating or cooling)
If you want a long term system, long term payback geothermal is the way to go.
Non-fact solar is better then geothermal, again solar works best in areas of high solar concentration, geothermal works all the time.
Please consider all options, do the research, and then seek qualified installers!!
Cheers
Geo thermal is the way to go!!
Having said that there are way to many variables to give a black or white answer?
Fact: Geothermal is a renewable energy source for most of the world
Fact: Geothermal costs alot more (ask your contractor for a payback time)
Fact: Geothermal requires the right ground conditions and surface area to be effective
Fact: Geothermal is the most efficient energy source available for common applications
Fact: Geothermal must be installed by an expert who has local knowledge (there is a big difference between installs in the desert, the far north, the eastern south the coastal regions north and south)
Non-fact Hot water heating is the biggest energy consumer! (depends on your local! south=cooling, north=heating, water heating= consumption v/s heating or cooling)
If you want a long term system, long term payback geothermal is the way to go.
Non-fact solar is better then geothermal, again solar works best in areas of high solar concentration, geothermal works all the time.
Please consider all options, do the research, and then seek qualified installers!!
Cheers
Just heard a program on the radio last night where they recommended combining geothermal with PV power. The result was a net zero energy consumption for home heating and cooling. I think this install was in the Northeast.
I'm sure capital cost was huge, tho. But you get a $3,000 rebate for geothermal in CT, and more for the PV system.
I'm sure capital cost was huge, tho. But you get a $3,000 rebate for geothermal in CT, and more for the PV system.
I have worked at a few homes where it had been in use for some time, and the homeowners wished they has put them in years ago. Almost all of them had open floor plans, and interior air flow was considered in the design to optimize performance. I don't know that it is effective for residential use, but in some scandanavian countries some industrial sites have utilized solar heat generated from asphaltic surfaces to heat water for HVAC purposes. Imagine a layout similar to that underneath a heated floor, on a much larger scale. The heated water is pumped into a holding tank near the facility, buried deep enough to maintain 70F temps. It's pretty neat, I think.