geo-thermal heat

[dbyron]

I'm looking to build next year and have been hearing about geo-thermal heat systems. I think the local company is called Ground Loop. I'm told in the long run, it will save you money. That is if you can afford to put it in the first place. Any guesses what it would cost and how much you might save on a 2,000 sf home? I'm not looking to sell this home, since it's on the family farm. What accounts for the increase cost of installing this system? Any suggestions?

[ndemge]

No idea of actual cost, but my uncle in Hannible MO has it in his new 3,000' house, and he's always bragging about his $30 untility bills.

[rbyrby2]

That is if you can afford to put it in the first place. Any guesses what it would cost and how much you might save on a 2,000 sf home? I'm not looking to sell this home, since it's on the family farm. What accounts for the increase cost of installing this system? Any suggestions?


The main cost of geothermal is the drilling and placement of the ground loop, though the units are somewhat more expensive also. I am installing a geothermal system in new construction. In my system, there are 5 vertical ground loops in series, each about 200 feet deep. (We have 10 acres to work with, but couldn't find any contractor to put in a horizontal loop - they all say that future landscaping, building, etc. has too much chance of damaging horiz. loops)

In a 3100 sf home, I have 2 zones with a 4 ton unit and 1 zone with a 2 ton unit. Each unit has 3 speed fans that will run fairly constantly on low, so I'm anticipating good air quality.

Cost, you say? Well, there's the fun part! Our original allowance for two 3 ton 12 SEER standard gas heat/electricAC HVAC units was about $9,000. The 6 tons of geothermal slides in at $23,500.

If you look at it as a long term investment, I think it's worth it. But get as many bids as you can, and don't forget to emphasize sevice/warranty. No system is perfect.