Geo Thermal gone crazy

[Chad Fabry]

I inspected a modest little place last week. Here's the heating system The heat pumps get their heat from four 900 feet deep wells.

Here's the heat pump room

[msteger]

So, how did you inspect it? Did you run heat AND cool? Most of us don't see geothermal systems very often, so inspecting these is a rarity.

[Chad Fabry]

I didn't have to inspect the heating system. I was there to inspect the solar panel installation. Either system would pay for a nice house.

[Terence McCann]

The equipment room is beautiful - it's refreshing to see that type of workmanship. Lucky dog...

[Les]

I'll bet that installation cost more than $6,300. Only thing more fun than inspecting it, would have been being the tradesperson!

[Chad Fabry]

Just the solar system cost about as much as I spend in 10 years. The house has solid zinc siding.

[Mark P]

Holly Double WOW!

Do you have any pics of the outside or solar panel system?

[Terence McCann]

How many square feet is the home Chad? 15k+ ?

[Chad Fabry]

How many square feet is the home Chad? 15k+ ?

It's more like 11k . Ultra modern. I'm uncomfortable giving out too much info as I'm contracted by a manufacturer to inspect the PV installations. I'm not sure folks would appreciate me snapping away on my way through to the electrical room. When I'm done w/ my report I'll upload a few photos and those of you that care can send a mail and I'll send a link.

[hmiller]

How many years it will take to reach the "break even point" with this kind of system? Seems like it would take decades before this kind of system would have paid for itself in energy savings.

[Chad Fabry]

How many years it will take to reach the "break even point" with this kind of system? Seems like it would take decades before this kind of system would have paid for itself in energy savings.

Neither the PV system nor the heating system will ever break even. The whole house from its size to its extravagance is the antithesis of green construction. Frankly, it's perverse.

I calculated pay back on the PV system to be about 150 years. Luckily, the feds offer a tax incentive so you and I get to subsidize an obscenely rich guy's system so that the payback is only a hundred years. Component life is around 30 years.

[hmiller]

Thanks for the reply. I had a feeling that was that was the case regarding whether these ever break even.

And you are right, if someone wants to be comitted to "living green" they would live in a much smaller dwelling, instead of building a large sprawling compound and attaching solar and geo thermal to call it a green home. Not that I have anything against folks who like to live in 15 K square foot homes, just don't try to pass them off as "green"..... (ahem......Al Gore) [:-propell