geothermal system
Jul. 23rd, 2018 03:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ljgeoffSo, I've been dreaming about remodeling my kitchen for years. Years! The plaster and lathe is falling apart, the cabinets and drawers are falling apart, and the floor is hideous.
But. Last night as I was lying in bed, I suddenly realized that for the same projected cost, I could get a new geothermal heating/cooling system for the house. Woe! I want a kitchen, damnit! But playing with the idea today, like the Chevy Bolt decision, I realize that the smart thing to do would be to get the geothermal system.
Damnit.
According to an online widget, I should be able to save about 30% of my heating and cooling costs per year. Right now I pay about $1600/yr for natural gas (forced air and hot water) and about $850/yr for electricity. According to the widget, the average family in my home would pay about $2925/yr for heating and electricity. I pay about $2450; the difference might be that we only cool one room during the day, and just use fans at night for the bedrooms.
Anyway, I'd say that for the sake of the widget, we're just about on spec, and should therefore be able to cut my heating and hot water costs in half, saving me about $800/yr. Hopefully we can pass on some of the installation costs when we sell the home. Teh internets tell me that the loops should last about 50 years and the indoor unit 25 years.
I will need a 3-ton system. This will be a challenge for my postage-stamp sized yard, but if we go vertical we might be able to swing it. I'll need three loops, drilled 10 feet from the property lines and house, as far apart as possible. My back yard is about 25 feet deep and 35 feet wide. That would give us three loops about 5 feet apart. Nope! That's too close; they need to be 15'-20' apart. What if I place them triangularly? One loop in the middle of the yard, right up against the south boundary line and the other two against the house line, east and west? So, isosceles triangle, base would be 15' and height would be 5'-- that would give me 9' between bore holes...bleh
The only way we can swing this is to use a split system or put a loop in the front yard.
But. Last night as I was lying in bed, I suddenly realized that for the same projected cost, I could get a new geothermal heating/cooling system for the house. Woe! I want a kitchen, damnit! But playing with the idea today, like the Chevy Bolt decision, I realize that the smart thing to do would be to get the geothermal system.
Damnit.
According to an online widget, I should be able to save about 30% of my heating and cooling costs per year. Right now I pay about $1600/yr for natural gas (forced air and hot water) and about $850/yr for electricity. According to the widget, the average family in my home would pay about $2925/yr for heating and electricity. I pay about $2450; the difference might be that we only cool one room during the day, and just use fans at night for the bedrooms.
Anyway, I'd say that for the sake of the widget, we're just about on spec, and should therefore be able to cut my heating and hot water costs in half, saving me about $800/yr. Hopefully we can pass on some of the installation costs when we sell the home. Teh internets tell me that the loops should last about 50 years and the indoor unit 25 years.
I will need a 3-ton system. This will be a challenge for my postage-stamp sized yard, but if we go vertical we might be able to swing it. I'll need three loops, drilled 10 feet from the property lines and house, as far apart as possible. My back yard is about 25 feet deep and 35 feet wide. That would give us three loops about 5 feet apart. Nope! That's too close; they need to be 15'-20' apart. What if I place them triangularly? One loop in the middle of the yard, right up against the south boundary line and the other two against the house line, east and west? So, isosceles triangle, base would be 15' and height would be 5'-- that would give me 9' between bore holes...bleh
The only way we can swing this is to use a split system or put a loop in the front yard.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-25 04:05 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2018-07-31 10:20 pm (UTC)