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tryan · 11-08-2007, 06:32 PM

Jazz,

We went open loop on a lake front property we had built in 2005. Installer promised 7 year return ... year one, looks like ~10 years will be more accurate. My neighbor built at the same time and decided against geothermal (builder talked him out of it ... "won't work in Vermont") so we now compare heat bills every year. He ran around 3k for heat and electric. I ran around $1500. The added bonus is "free" central air. Had him in my house on a hot august day ... he was jealous.

Being open loop you need to wonder where the water goes. Into the lake for us. But don't let anybody tell you the ground will take it. You'll have a swamp. In the winter months it's like leaving a hose running 24/7.

The house has 3 independent pieces of geothermal equiptment: a water to water unit for hot water; a water to water unit for radiant heat for the basement slab; and a water to air unit for forced hot air and AC. Only the hot water unit runs year 'round.

Good Luck!

11-08-2007, 06:32 PM	#21
tryan Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,733	Jazz, We went open loop on a lake front property we had built in 2005. Installer promised 7 year return ... year one, looks like ~10 years will be more accurate. My neighbor built at the same time and decided against geothermal (builder talked him out of it ... "won't work in Vermont") so we now compare heat bills every year. He ran around 3k for heat and electric. I ran around $1500. The added bonus is "free" central air. Had him in my house on a hot august day ... he was jealous. Being open loop you need to wonder where the water goes. Into the lake for us. But don't let anybody tell you the ground will take it. You'll have a swamp. In the winter months it's like leaving a hose running 24/7. The house has 3 independent pieces of geothermal equiptment: a water to water unit for hot water; a water to water unit for radiant heat for the basement slab; and a water to air unit for forced hot air and AC. Only the hot water unit runs year 'round. Good Luck! __________________ FIRE'd since 2005 Last edited by tryan; 11-08-2007 at 06:45 PM.