Geothermal--propane or oil??

[e35186]

My house got hit by lightning last month and burned to the ground--no one hurt--family was on vac down Myrtle beach and I was babysitting the family pets and staying the week at my son's house.

Anyway I now have a chance to build the house I'd always wanted to build but am getting confusing and mixed messages from different folks and contractors regarding the mechanical systems to heat-cool the house and and provide hot water. I don't have natural gas available so my choices are oil-propane-electric and geothermal. Originally I didn't think I could stretch the budget to afford the geothermal but I have come to find out that the 30% tax credit I would get for installing it should not only apply to the geothermal system alone but also to all the auxilliary equipment--ductwork, electric etc and that may make the difference in affordability.

Just wondering if anyone has done a little research on these systems lately and what your recommendation would be. Right now I'm leaning towards the geothermal with a propane furnace backup and a super insulated propane water heater.

Any thoughts from this common sense board would be appreciated.:))

[PA BRED]

I installed a geothermal unit two years ago and love it!! In my area of VA I was told I didn't need any backup heat so I didn't have the strip heaters installed. Since then I've never felt like I needed one and my loop temperatures have stayed high enough that I don't think I will. Depending on where you live you may be able to pass on the backup heat source too or if you're told you need one I'd honestly consider electric so you don't have to worry about running the propane. I would stay away from oil.

When I built this house 20 years ago I originally had a geothermal unit slated for installation. Well, being what building houses brings I soon had to cut a few corners and went with an air heat pump and kicked myself in the butt for years. After 18 years the old contractor heat pump was on its last legs so I had the whole thing ripped out, flex ducts and all. I had metal ducting installed with the geo unit and have never regretted it.

Good luck,
Dan

[PA BRED]

I forgot to mention that I use the waste heat from the geo unit to heat my hot water too.

I graph the heating and cooling degree days / month along with my kw usage and electric costs. All told my kw savings are approx. 30%.

Dan

[V.B. wells & irrigation]

closed loop geothermal! no need for backup.

[ictalurus]

My in-laws in northern VA have had it for about 6 or 7 years now and really like it and haven't had any problems. However, I can't remember if it was winter or summer, but there is one time of year where they don't save as much as they thought they would compared to their old heat pump system. I'll ask them to find out which it was. I think they use it for hot water, too.

[V.B. wells & irrigation]

A properly installed vertical closed loop system will have the same exchange medium temperature year round. Closed is slightly less efficient than an open system (supply and return wells) relative to medium tempatures, but uses much smaller pumps to move the water, and with closed, you don't have the maintenance issues associated with using wells.

[CSLUG]

dx geothermal....google it.

Pumping water is a waste of perfectly good energy.

[eroller]

I second the other opinions posted and I've been in the mechanical contracting business for 20 years. I also suggest a closed - loop geothermal system with a hot water heat exchanger for the domestic loop. The payback period for this system is roughly 7-10 years over a conventional high efficiency DX system. Best of luck.

[Jason9301]

Take it for what its worth..... I have been doing hvacr for 12 years i had that same option at my own home ........... i chose a 96 plus percent 2 stage gas furnace (propane converted) I do not believe md (if your from here) is a good climate for it . any questions pm me:yes:

[jkapl001]

My in-laws in northern VA have had it for about 6 or 7 years now and really like it and haven't had any problems. However, I can't remember if it was winter or summer, but there is one time of year where they don't save as much as they thought they would compared to their old heat pump system. I'll ask them to find out which it was. I think they use it for hot water, too.

My guess is there was less savings in the summer than anticipated. That is probably because there is not that much cooling going on at night so there is less energy used in a 24 hour cycle, whether its a heat pump or geothermal. Just a guess. I have actually heard that the additional cost of geothermal (when figured in a 30 year mortgage) is not really any more than the savings your will receive in your energy bill. Basically the geothermal is about the same price per month when compared to the savings. Just something I have heard people say.