I’m looking into geothermal cooling and heating.
Going to try to do some of the work myself when the time comes but right now I would like to get some ballpark prices .I will not be using the drill method but plan to lay several hundred feet of line in place of that. I have an older dug well that the water is very cold (its not safe to drink) would that make a good place to coil the pipe and then run it into my house? As you can tell I’m really just getting started.
Also could anyone recommend a company in the north Texas area?
One last question what would be the average savings using geothermal V conventional HVAC ?

 

Just saw a special on it. They quoted $15,000 for initial set up.....included a 200 ft well. The family said their electric bill for a 3500 + or - less home was $150.00 per month. You need to make sure you get a constant supply of the 55 degree water. Price for well here was running about $2.00 per foot(drinking well).

 

I saw that special, we use a company called Enlink out of Texas.

 

I recently helped install one but I can't give you a lot of info on it.

The tubing was layed out in a big swimming pool size hole, rectangular, and about 10 feet deep. Maybe 40 to 60 feet by twenty feet or so. It has 3,200 linear feet of 1" poly tubing.

The ground is all granite sand and they added some finer material to get better contact on the surface of the pipe. The ground is very porous and, obviously, has no standing water, just slightly damp. Water level is at 190 feet down and the temp at that depth is 61 degrees. Elevation is 5,000 feet.

The house is about 3,500 sq. ft. and uses in-slab radiant with PEX tubing. The heat pump also has a de-superheater that heats a 120 gallon tank for hot water.

They keep the house very warm all the time and in the winter the electric bill got up to about $350. per month including all lighting, the well and hot water. That is before the DHW solar went in.

I designed the delivery system and, later, the solar that was added to it. I was skeptical at first but it really does deliver some serious energy from the heat pump running at a COP of about 3 or so. Sizing the heat pump is important and should be carefully looked at. This one, I thought, had too small of a unit and was decided on by others with other interests than mine like cost and availability. The supplier tried to tell us it would run at a COP of six but I don't think so. In-slab radiant is the best way to deliver the heat because, among other things, it runs at the coolest delivery temp so the efficiency is the highest. Part of the savings comes from not having to install propane or other gas systems so all that hardware cost, tank rental, danger, etc just goes away. Plus it works night and day unlike a solar system.

 

I have installed two of them, they are not a popular option in my area.

If you plan on staying in the house, it will take at least 15 years to start seeing any savings to offset the initial cost of the geothermal system.

If you don't plan on staying in the house long enough, or can't justify the cost, look into a new heat pump system with either a fossil fuel kit or electric backup.

Either way make sure your house is very well insulated!

 

Last summer I had a Geo-Thermal heat cooling system installed.
I had paid $350-400 for LP each month during the previous winter. About $4.30 a gallon. Also, I supplimented with wood heat as much as possible.

This winter, the highest heat bill was about $125.00 with the heat set at 74.
This system cools Fast!!! It has taken 10 degrees out of my house in about 45 minutes.
I am very pleased with it.
It cost about $12,000 with a pay back of 6-7 years.

 

Thanks for the replies.
In Texas I’m not as worried about the heat as I am the cooling. The electric bill in the summer runs about $350 for an 1800 ft home.
I also heat most of the winter with wood. But one day I will be too old to lift the chain saw.


ropnjessi ,I will be calling Enlink do you know what city they are in?

 

Here is a little information on different systems. If you could utilize your well it could save you a lot of money.

http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/consume.../mytopic=12650

 

Yes, when I first posted I was not at work so I didn't have all the information. We have used Enlink on 2 High Schools and now they are on there 3rd school with us here in Las Vegas, they work all over the Country. On our system here they drill approx. 350 bore holes on the average of 400' deep, for the whole school for the heating and cooling needs, these systems ultimately work the best in a cooler climate but is still feasible here. They are in Houston 281-398-6880.

 

WoW! Runs around $40.00 a foot around here.

 

Sorry, I meant $20.00 a foot. A 200 ft well runs between $4,000 to $5,000.