Is Geothermal Heating and Cooling Worth the Cost? Heat Pumps Explained

So it has a lifetime of 20yrs. What happens after 20 years?
Do the pipes rot? Do you have to dig up the ground again?
Those are important questions.

surely this isn't geothermal, but "ground source" Geothermal is waaaay more diificult (and expensive)

DON'T DO IT!!! I am using way more hydro, not less. It is loud, so loud whole house shakes. And the house smells like dirt. It also seems to be sinking. Deep regret buying this hulk of crap nor will i be able to sell again as the house is sinking and utilities are huge. So i turned it off. Back to oil heaters that are more efficient and dont stink up the house.

Good in theory, bad in practice. Not only are they ridiculously expensive, like, it will NEVER pay for itself kind of expensive. Depending on the size, quality, and complexity, you’re talking $25K-$75 just for install. Maintenance can cost a couple thousand per event. But, they’re also extremely vulnerable to seismic events and natural earthing.

If you’re looking for efficient heating, propane is the way to go. Cheap upfront costs, maintenance costs and operation costs for the amount of energy you get per set amount of volume…..all while being relatively safe and clean.

ASHPs are better for modern, efficient homes in many climates I think. GSHP is EXPENSIVE.

I am trying to design a pond loop heat pump system for a community in a tropical country, just for cooling. I am not sure how much energy it will save, and need to make a good case for cost vs benefit.

The cost estimate for the installation of a ground source heat pump provided in this video is wildly out of whack. I received multiple quotes in the spring of 2023 which were over $60,000 higher than the quote for an air source heat pump system.

Electric vehicles are not the solution. Electric power plants receive 92% of their energy from Coal and Natural gas, 4% from Nuclear, and 4% from [Hydroelectric, Geothermal, wind, & solar]. Also, the resources for the batteries for EV's are finite and then their is disposal of the batteries. Fossil fuel is still the most cost effective source of energy, and it's plentiful. An 11 billion barrel reserve was recently discovered by Exxon, not the mention the abundance still untapped in Alaska.

Can i get any slides for this topic sir

A lot has changed in this field in recent years. I would recommend do research, esp if you're concerned about the environment. These heat pumps create a lot more waste than people understand. Much, much more than a conventional furnace.

your btu per m2/hr is not correct. i think you divided by 11 instead of multiplying.

Not 31% because you don't heat and cool at the same time.

Im looking to install the closed loop system myself. I believe i should backfill with clay

Think you would need a second mortgage to install thermal central heating,and only then if your house was considered suitable for it.

Isn’t all relevant with the construction costs and payback, I’m a retired heating technician and after putting all the greatest and latest efficient equipment there’s no benefit without the proper building construction of insulation, air movement and design. It’s a waste of money if the Building codes or construction practices are not improved, if your spending $50,000 or more on heating and cooling would it not be more cost effective using that money preventing heat loss or heat gains? I see the actual benefits of geothermal for large commercial use when you have multi dwelling units but for a single dwelling unit you would benefit more on spending that money on insulation,and construction practices! There are some improvements in some jurisdictions requiring air tightness testing and compliance but more needs to change, I know government and developers battle over codes vs costs but it’s the old pay me now or pay double later senecio?

Wouldn't having some kind of conductive fins on the loops improve the surface area without needing as much space? The real surface area issue is more about how much the earth around it can transfer the heat to more earth. Making the looped version less ideal... The issue with the metal would be the corrosion, but that's already been 'solved' with gas pipes.

Replaced our peipane syatem w/ a closed loop, vertical geothermal system in 2010. It has been nothing but trouble free and efficient. Any reputable installer will have an idea about the geology and soil conditions in the area they work in. In my case, there is ironstone in the area with sandstone overburden. The vertical well subcontract had an add on in $$ if they hit ironstone. Luckily they didn't in my case. A critical aspect of the system is the loop and proceeding with a driller who lnows what they are doing is huge. For instance, if they grout the well, there is no chance of "bedrock shifting". ( not referring to tectonic shiftimg here!)

As an HVAC tech I can assure you air to air heat pumps suck if you live where you have weather below 40F to draw heat from. Geothermal heat pumps have an average temp of 56F to draw from year round, so they are the only heat pumps worth buying if you must.

Can we use ground water tank ? My tank is always full with water can I use as a temperature difference?

With todays inflation you will pay at the high end for this system. What exactly are you doing? Lot of fancy science and fuzzy math was mentioned. Well you are digging a $20k hole to replace a condenser fan that draws about 2 amps with a circulator pump that draws 1.6 amps. Stop the nonsense with these systems. Leave them where they belong, with 1985 rerun episodes of this old house. In the north mini split systems blow the doors off any geo system 10 fold. In the south, just add a water source coil to your pool and save just as much cash if not more.

I love my Waterfurnace geothermal system. My wife loves the warm air in the heating cycle and it preheats the water going to the water heater. Yes, it takes years to recover the costs, but the cost savings really start increasing each year after.

Great tips, we want to buy land and heat the most efficient way

Sadly used where you live.. what a jack Ass. If there were a viable solution right NOW it would be sad, but there isn't fricken Beta Male.

We bought our current home with an aging but still functional 21-yr-old Waterfurnace. Since the ground loop was already installed, it was a no-brainer when the time came to upgrade. We now have a Waterfurnace Series 7 and its pretty amazing TBH

The price of a new A/C unit nowadays in Florida is around $10 to $17k depending on the brand and specs. So the price for a geo thermal system have better return of investment if it last longer and needs less maintenance.

Nice explanation.

Why is it sad that oil heating is used?

Does anybody know if this same method can also be used to heat the fluid for heated floors?
I live in the south, and have lived in the west, a few years ago I heard about how many people still use heating oil in the northeast, I was amazed that so many still use heating oil.

As a staunch conservative, I'm very interested in conserving my money. So, 25 years ago I bought a small ranch, 65 acres, and it was my dream retirement place. I had planned on building a concrete house and installing a mega geothermal ground system. Additionally, once solar started becoming popular, I was beginning to contemplate solar. My idea was to be is for off grid as possible without going over the top 100% off grid religious. The land already had electricity, so 'what the heck' why not save some money :-) HOWEVER, I got into some money trouble and had to sell the place, but it was a great idea that I truly mis planning for...

With this range is better to have solar panels and use electrical heating

The geo thermal lake loops I install in TN go for 100k up to 250k depending on the size and equipment...

Will this work for the Arizona heat? We have triple digit temp in the summer and the ground gets very hot.

Geothermal compressor units have a lifespan of ten years.
Geothermal Installation costs are actually $40,000.
Replacement of the compressors at ten year intervals cost $6500
The very low cost numbers that entice people, as given in this video, are not realistic.
It is definitely more comfortable than any other system, and doesn’t require refueling.
It’s just WAY more expensive than anyone selling them will ever admit.
Geo is not about saving money.

15% cooling +16% heating IS NOT EQUAL TO 31% of the energy bill and I must be an idiot if I argue about it .... only lintelligent idiots would heat the living space and turn on the cooling so that it is not to hot .... come on, you are an intelligent but not an idiot individual ... we are a world of intelligent individuals MADE MEGA IDIOTS by idiots repeating idiocies that multiply the number of blind idiots in them audiences.... LIKE THE INTELLIGENT IDIOTS OF EX SOVIET UKRAINE that was brainwashed by the masters of brainwashing: the Russophobic nazi/USA/NATO COLONIES OF SLAVED POLITICIANS WHO ARE THE SAME THAT VOTE IN THE UNITED NATIONS OF COERCED SLAVED POLITICIANS.... Only intelligent idiots choose to die for Brainwashing BS code words like "country" "homeland," "tyrannic democracies", "FREEDOM", "family" etc ... ordinary idiots in armies always most times do not know that they are dying for the owners of most things although they believe in their hearts that they are dying for so much other BS .... intelligent idiots are not so easily brainwashed with additions like 15%+16%=10%+21%

This is incredible information! Thank you so much! I've been building a home since 2017 and I'm at the hearing and air phase but want to build something eco friendly and efficient

The cost isn’t reasonable that’s why no one has them and not just any HVAC can work on them

What removes the humidity out of the air? Seems like a high dollar swamp cooler.

Hard realities. After your recent video where WaterFurnace gave you a system, I went through the process of requesting a proposal for a three ton system for our 1,700 sq ft house. Sadly, they offered a high price for the Series 5 dismissing the option of hot water supplement. While it is understandable when a company tries to take advantage of emerging circumstances, in this case pocketing the 30% tax credit, and in this case, no sale.

I've been thinking about installing a horizontal system. I've got plenty of land, and I currently heat with propane. Those refils are pricey.

downvoted in the first second for wasting my time with your stupid sponsor, sellout

Would using a geothermal unit work with a passive house design? Im wanting to have a passive house built and was wondering about things that might improve it even more like adding solar panels.

You fail to mention that the prices you quote refer to new homes built with high thermal efficiency and suitable radiators. Retrofitting an old house that requires changing windows and thermal insulation as well as radiators can double the cost as we find in the UK. These systems also need a supplementary heat source when temperatures are low, especially if the property does not have a heat recovery system. This is why the UK Government is looking to retain the current gas boilers but switch methane for hydrogen.

Been trying to find a diagram or infograhics how to use a geothermal cooling systems to be use in tropical countries like Phillippines utilizing the cheap or cost effective materials

Sir what about running costs. Units consumed per hour

One disadvantage of geo thermal heat pumps is that they use a LOT of space. This is a very big challenge as we all need more dense, mixed use, walkable, non car centric cities, with public transit systems superior to EVs and private automobiles. In short geothermal heat pumps are only feasibly worth it for single family or low density development which is not good for our environment, finances, society, health, etc. Actually I kinda wish if he could consider urban planning in advantages vs disadvantages comparison as honestly EVs, self driving cars, and low density, single use development are not really the future of our world. Public transit, Pedestrianisation, cycling, dissentivisng use of personal automobiles and high density mixed use walkable development is the actual future of the world.

Fantastic video - thanks.

I had natural gas then moved to a house with geothermal. The electricity to run the geothermal is far far more expensive than natural gas. In the winter my electricity bill regularly hits $800 per month. That is after disconnecting the emergency electric heat element, buying all new appliances and switching every light to LED. Maintenance on geothermal is more frequent and expensive as well. If there was natural gas available on my street I would be switching back today.