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Anyone have a geothermal hvac system ?

select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,494 ✭✭✭✭

Good, Bad and Ugly of them? Been looking at homes out of state and Heat pumps are marginal most have gas back up furnaces.

Comments

  • Ruger4meRuger4me Member, Moderator Posts: 3,835 ******

    Location, type of construction, type of insulation, value, all more important things to know before deciding on the type of HVAC. Also there are multiple types of geothermal so that will also come in to play.

  • 62vld204262vld2042 Member Posts: 1,222 ✭✭✭✭

    Yep........since about 2007.

    We went from a worn-out 20 year old 8-SEER 3 ton Rheem heat pump........to a 5 ton dual-capacity WaterFurnace geothermal heat pump that's about 28-SEER. They had to put five 250ft holes in the front yard..…drew quite the crowd. With TT&L......$17 grand.

    It's hard to compare costs/savings......since the old Rheem was in such bad shape. I will say that the unit will pull down to 70 degrees F…..AND shut off......when the outdoors reaches 105 degrees F.........IF doors are not opened/closed too often.

    At 3 years.....warranty replaced the defective reversing compressor and evaporator. Two years ago...…the fan/blower motor went out. And.......about every two years the compressor eats the start/run capacitor.........like candy. BTW........do NOT buy China made caps!

    Hope this helps.

  • BobJudyBobJudy Member Posts: 6,659 ✭✭✭✭

    That is the only type of system that this house has ever had. The first one was installed almost 50 years ago and was one of the first in the state. That unit lasted 30 years before it gave up the ghost. Current one has been going 20 and been relatively trouble free. I hope it keeps going because the cost to replace has gone sky high. Ours is an open loop system that uses well water and then exhausts it into our pond. No gas back-up, but it does have electric heat that kicks in if the heat pump isn't keeping up during extreme cold. Yeah, electric heat can get expensive but that is offset by not using any natural gas. For air conditioning in the summer, I think it is more efficient than having an outside compressor and air unit. By its nature, water is a lot more efficient for heat absorption and transfer than air because of its density. Bob

  • dunbarboyzdunbarboyz Member Posts: 2,577 ✭✭✭✭
    edited December 11

    I hear a lot of complaints up here about them not keeping up.

  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,404 ******

    How well it will work for you depends a fair amount on how extreme your climate is.

    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
  • NeoBlackdogNeoBlackdog Member Posts: 17,239 ✭✭✭✭

    I've worked in a number of houses that had them in Eastern Oregon and every owner I talked with said they loved the system. Very efficient systems when done correctly.

  • mike55mike55 Member Posts: 3,062 ✭✭✭✭

    Geothermal also needs either gas or electric backup. Geo is more efficient for colling, not much diff for heat, imho.

  • dunbarboyzdunbarboyz Member Posts: 2,577 ✭✭✭✭
    edited December 12

    I have electric base board heat. House is well insulated. The cost would surprise you. My last house was 200 sq. feet smaller and cost more to heat with propane.

  • truthfultruthful Member Posts: 2,135 ✭✭✭✭

    I'm sure it depends on the climate where it is installed. Where I am, about 15-20 years ago geothermal HVAC was quite the fad. I don't like fads, so when I built I stayed traditional with two gas furnaces, one of which has an air sourced heat pump just for kicks. Now all the friends and neighbors that went for the geothermal thing have installed gas furnaces. My heat pump is seldom used.

  • MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 14,127 ✭✭✭✭

    Geothermal was highly advocated and sponsered by our local REC several years back. Primary reason: the 'add on' heat source was electric which generated considerable income for the eletric provider.

    Fast forward 10 years and many of the geothermal systems became dis-functional due to leaks, improper installation, and/or expense. Shoddy installation was big factor but the failure of the heating portion of the system was even bigger.

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