# Geothermal--anyone done this?



## Ceres Hil (Aug 13, 2008)

Looked into solar etc. geo thermal looks more consistant

thoughts?
vendors?


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## sticky_burr (Dec 10, 2010)

and lot more expensive 
geothermal will pay back IF the load is big enough. to use it on small highly insulated buildings isnt as effective. if you have a big pond/ lake then a pond loop will be cheap enough to pay back.

what are your conditions? already built? retrofit? small acres? large?
if your building or retrofitting insulate alot the payback on this is a couple years then all savings
if building orientate the house to catch as much sun as possible ie south side large higher R value and hi solar gain. north side code minimum size for egress high R value and low-E coatings. on north east and west no north windows only east and west...

well basically need more info


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## Ceres Hil (Aug 13, 2008)

west coast; barns are being built with one facing true south the other true west (land configuration.

my current home faces due west and gets pounded in the summer

Looks like a home system runs about $25,000; our max heating runs $500/mo; from initial research, I would need the retail cost to drop to around $12,000 to get a rational payback ie 4-6 years agree?
What I am figuring is that over the next 5 years, system costs will drop to that kind of level and open up a opportunity to install.


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## Ceres Hil (Aug 13, 2008)

our farm is 38 acres... no ponds


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## sticky_burr (Dec 10, 2010)

and big over hangs or awnings to block the high angle summer sun ..i forgot to put it in lol or you can go with somethig like hops trellised over the window or vine of some sort you can cutt back in the fall

farm so already built ? ..
any insulation? you can do cavity fill(cellous or slow minimal expanding foam) thru 'small' holes that you can patch and cover with crown moulding or patch the siding. or if the siding is excessively beat up pull and put 3 inches of xps >R18 or polyiso r21+ under the new siding and roof

also beware of "slinky" ground loops it will pretty much freeze the sub soil and stall if in a cold region "IF" poorly laid out .. which most are if your tractor has a back hoe you can dig the trenches your self and save

if you want "free" heat you can use a coil under a massive compost heap this will atleast cover the hot water and probally heat.. 
but for solar try a DIY 1000$ solar drainback system. uses radiant floor PEX and the aluminum sink/heat reflector that goes around the tube and attaches under a sub floor all painted with collector paint. then building against a shed or house's southern side vertical insulate and glaze or use polycarb panel. this will gather alot of heat during low sun winter days and the water is drained out at night when the panels will lose heat if left full.. check it out the 1000$ cost will be recouped the first year maybe 2 probally


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## Ceres Hil (Aug 13, 2008)

what suppliers for the parts etc. ?

Plans ?

many thanks!


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## sticky_burr (Dec 10, 2010)

you can find lots thru builditsolar but the solar drain back circa 2009 says $1000 and saves $300 but depends on what your rates have done in the last 2 years http://www.builditsolar.com/Experimental/PEXColDHW/Overview.htm


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## Mickie3 (Aug 28, 2010)

Ceres Hil said:


> west coast; barns are being built with one facing true south the other true west (land configuration.
> 
> my current home faces due west and gets pounded in the summer
> 
> ...


How big of a system are you looking at? 25k will buy a HUGE one around here. The current cost of a GSHP is about 2.5k per ton, plus installation. Since you are replacing a current system, no add-ons for ductwork needed. Installation can be cheaper if you dig deep coil areas yourself and have the space for them close to house. I am looking to put a GSHP in a new build, so will avert the cost of a standard system, plus with the foam insulation, windows, sealings (all in excess of county codes, which are tough to start with), we should be able to have a very reasonable electrical consumption and stay warm (my wife likes it way warmer than I do) on the Indiana / Michigan border.


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## rxkeith (Apr 13, 2009)

we had a ground loop system put in at our farm in the U.P. the whole process was supervised by a michigan tech professor with a good deal of knowledge about the system. a local heating and cooling company assisted and is now licensed to install them. we had to do the loop due to geography. lots of rock. the two loops are each 900 feet long. trenches were 6 ft deep. only problem we had in 8 years was a part went bad and had to be replaced. not sure if it was a pump or what. in summer we have air conditioning. heat gets taken from the air and gets put into the ground. it was pricey, somewhere around $17,000. we like it. not sure what the pay off time is. my wife knows more about it than i do. older models were supposed to be noisier than conventional heating systems. i haven't noticed much of a difference. 
i would check with local contractors or universities for someone with the know how to put the system in, if you hire it out. 


keith


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## Mickie3 (Aug 28, 2010)

The prices on the units themselves is coming down as well as more companies are now making the units. There are still outlandishly expensive units out there, but they are having to lower their prices if they want to stay in business. 

These are the major players as of this time (best info I could find):

# GeoExchange Heat Pump Manufacturers

* ClimateMaster
* GeoComfort
* Hydron Module
* TETCO
* WaterFurnace


You can get more info at: http://www.igshpa.okstate.edu/directory/searchmembers.htm where you can search for members of the IGSHPA (a trade organization for GSHP) based on what you desire.


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