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Geothermal HVAC


Gergwheel1647545492

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I replied to this last night on my computer but apparently I forgot to post it. So now I’m on my phone using voice to text while driving all over Ohio.

 

We had geothermal in our house that we bought in the spring of 2013. January 2014 that geothermal system died. It was a pre-1980 system and replacing it would require digging up the pipes in the ground as well as buying a new unit. We were looking at a cost of more than $40,000. We ended up going with a unit that is all electric with a big emphasis on energy efficiency. It’s a bit overkill for our home that is only 2200 ft.², but it is a 4 ton communicating system.

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Thanks Joe!

 

If the price is right (payoff VS traditional), seems like a no brainer if you can finance it through the house cost. What about adding solar too?

 

Maybe both also depend on realistically how long you plan to stay in the house and how much value they add. e.g. payoff is 20 years, but they add $xxk value to the house and you'll sell at 15 years so you'll 'make' money even thought you didn't hit the payoff date.

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If I was building, I would do electric heat and AC and add a 30KW house generator. It would still be less than what I was looking at spending for a new geo system, and it would provide far more benefit to the house functionality.

 

We currently have a 15KW generator to run the essentials in the house. But it is not set up for heat or AC. I have propane heat sources should we lose power in the winter. As for losing power in the hot months, drink water and suck it up. I need my well pump, septic, water heater, freezer, fridge, microwave and several other key areas to have power from the generator. I have a propane griddle and burner, so I can cook without power. If I want to use my pellet smoker, I can run it off the outlet on the 15K or my portable. I keep 3-4, 20lb tanks at the house. I also keep a portable 3600w gas generator for any other things that would need power. If I was buying again, I would buy a duel fuel generator, propane and gas.

 

Solar is something I feel I have spent a good bit of time looking into, wind also. I just don't feel storing the power and generating it is at a point where I can invest in it and rely on it the way I would want to. My pockets aren't deep enough to justify it.

Edited by Mojoe
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Thanks Joe!

 

If the price is right (payoff VS traditional), seems like a no brainer if you can finance it through the house cost. What about adding solar too?

 

Maybe both also depend on realistically how long you plan to stay in the house and how much value they add. e.g. payoff is 20 years, but they add $xxk value to the house and you'll sell at 15 years so you'll 'make' money even thought you didn't hit the payoff date.

 

Unless you get some cheap company and all the tax breaks solar in 80% of Ohio is not worth it

 

Unless in the last couple of years since I last looked over the 20ish years you end up saving less than half the cost of the install and panels

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Unless you get some cheap company and all the tax breaks solar in 80% of Ohio is not worth it

 

Unless in the last couple of years since I last looked over the 20ish years you end up saving less than half the cost of the install and panels

 

Install prices are probably through the roof right now so it might have tipped to an unfordable economic situation since I last looked into it too. But if I pay out of pocket*1 and install myself*2 then the payoff is easily there. I don't want to deal with installing it on our roof, so I'm waiting to build the garage and will do them there.

 

*1: and ignore lost opportunity cost for that money

*2: and ignore the cost of my time

... neither of which anyone should do, but it seems in human nature to do so anyway.

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We had to re-do everything when we moved in here since it was still fuel oil and the a/c was from the 80s.

 

I went with a very efficient heat pump then used propane as secondary heat instead of the heat strips. I paired that all with a propane standby generator. The generator can run the a/c or the heat pump but if heat is called for I switch the furnace to propane only mode to drop the generator load.

 

If only we had natural gas available...

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I have no experience with geothermal, but in response to some of the other comments, my previous house was all electric with a heat pump. Never again will I have a house with electric heat. My current house has NG and is much more efficient and warmer air coming out of the vents. If you have any other options besides all electric, go that route.
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