The geothermal discussion thread

[jrfuda]

If you are needing to replace the insulation anyway, I would do it.

As far as critters, don't expect the foam to keep them out. Make sure you close off openings, it is not hard for a squirrel to dig through the foam.

OK, I think I've officially hijacked the thread - my apologies.. maybe one of the mods can split the topic off into a "super insulating your home" thread or something like that... or we can agree that this is an energy efficiency thread since geothermal and improved insulation are a synergestic combo...

Anyway, in my particular application, I will be stripping a lot of walls. The home was built in 1900, so a lot of the walls are either stained or painted knotty pine (some of it is nice, some of it is awful), a little interior brick (wont mess with it, it's on exterior walls that also have a fireplace/chimney, so they're several feet thick) and a little lathe and plaster. Most of the exteror walls will be stripped down to the studs, rewired and insulated to the max R-value I can get in there. The windows are all mid-century wood single-pane models (there may be some original windows, but I don't think so) so they'll all have to be replaced as well, which may require some retrofitting of window openings unless i want to pay a fortune for exact-fit custom windows (unless I'm lucky and they're al,ready a stock size). In researching windows it looks like custom windows that are the same spec as stock windows can cost 3 x as much!!!! The home has a crawlspace as well, and I've read that the spray foam works wonders for keeping floors warm and minimizing squeeks and shakes as you walk around. I'm also intrigued by the use of it to insulate the actual rood, essentially making the arttic air-tight instead of vented. Oh, and a metal roof will likely top the whole thing (I wan either an aluminum finish or faux-copper finish) and hardy plank will replace all the vinyl siding that's on there now.

I guess you can see why it's going to take me about 5 years to complete the project, since I don't want to borrow a dime to do it (and I'll be deployed for a year of this as well, maybe another year before it's complete). It's a good thing I've got a family full of DIYers to help with the finish work, becuase the insulation, roofing, siding and HVAC (hopefully geothermal) are big time non-DIY projects... The windows are a maybe DIY. I've also located a solar panel leasing company in the state that has me intrigued as well. It has $500 deposit for install and lease cost is supposed to average out to be equal to the amount you save in utilities, so it doesn't really save me any money, but it has a "coolness" factor. I also hope the "cash for caulkers" and similair incentives mentioned earlier is around long enough to see me through this project.

Good, I mentioned geothermal in the last paragraph, so that de-hijacks the thread, maybe. Oh, and what about hot water heating? Do you all who have / are planning on getting a geothermal system use it for that as well?

 

[jrfuda]

..I built a new 9000 sq. ft. house with 7800 heated/cooled last year. Have lived in the house over a year and my average electrical bill is $225.00 per month... They buried 770 feet of piping at 8 and 6 foot levels below ground...

Wow! My current home in a tad over 3000 SF and my electic bill averages higher than that. We're misers with the thermostat and the home is empty (therefore minimally heated and cooled) about 10 hours per weekday.

What was the footprint of the 770 feet of piping?

 

[beelzerob]

OK, I think I've officially hijacked the thread - my apologies.. maybe one of the mods can split the topic off into a "super insulating your home" thread or something like that... or we can agree that this is an energy efficiency thread since geothermal and improved insulation are a synergestic combo...

HAHAHA.. :lol: I'm laughing because this thread was created because my geothermal discussions were hijacking someone else's "help me lock down my heat pump unit" thread. Ahhh, such is the way of cocooner's.

I'd be happy to share the thread, but in the interest of making it easier to find for someone else down the road, you should probably split it off. I just created a new thread for this and then sent a PM to one of the reds to ask them to move the threads over.

 

[apostolakisl]

If you are needing to replace the insulation anyway, I would do it.

As far as critters, don't expect the foam to keep them out. Make sure you close off openings, it is not hard for a squirrel to dig through the foam.

OK, I think I've officially hijacked the thread - my apologies.. maybe one of the mods can split the topic off into a "super insulating your home" thread or something like that... or we can agree that this is an energy efficiency thread since geothermal and improved insulation are a synergestic combo...

Anyway, in my particular application, I will be stripping a lot of walls. The home was built in 1900, so a lot of the walls are either stained or painted knotty pine (some of it is nice, some of it is awful), a little interior brick (wont mess with it, it's on exterior walls that also have a fireplace/chimney, so they're several feet thick) and a little lathe and plaster. Most of the exteror walls will be stripped down to the studs, rewired and insulated to the max R-value I can get in there. The windows are all mid-century wood single-pane models (there may be some original windows, but I don't think so) so they'll all have to be replaced as well, which may require some retrofitting of window openings unless i want to pay a fortune for exact-fit custom windows (unless I'm lucky and they're al,ready a stock size). In researching windows it looks like custom windows that are the same spec as stock windows can cost 3 x as much!!!! The home has a crawlspace as well, and I've read that the spray foam works wonders for keeping floors warm and minimizing squeeks and shakes as you walk around. I'm also intrigued by the use of it to insulate the actual rood, essentially making the arttic air-tight instead of vented. Oh, and a metal roof will likely top the whole thing (I wan either an aluminum finish or faux-copper finish) and hardy plank will replace all the vinyl siding that's on there now.

I guess you can see why it's going to take me about 5 years to complete the project, since I don't want to borrow a dime to do it (and I'll be deployed for a year of this as well, maybe another year before it's complete). It's a good thing I've got a family full of DIYers to help with the finish work, becuase the insulation, roofing, siding and HVAC (hopefully geothermal) are big time non-DIY projects... The windows are a maybe DIY. I've also located a solar panel leasing company in the state that has me intrigued as well. It has $500 deposit for install and lease cost is supposed to average out to be equal to the amount you save in utilities, so it doesn't really save me any money, but it has a "coolness" factor. I also hope the "cash for caulkers" and similair incentives mentioned earlier is around long enough to see me through this project.

Good, I mentioned geothermal in the last paragraph, so that de-hijacks the thread, maybe. Oh, and what about hot water heating? Do you all who have / are planning on getting a geothermal system use it for that as well?

Well then I would say you are a no brainer for spray foam. And definitely do the underside of the roof making the attic part of the sealed envelope of the house. You can store things up there, get easy access to lighting fixtures and wires and don't have to worry about the ceiling penetrations (light fixtures) leaking all of your conditioned air and/or using special fixtures that can be spray foamed directly.

When you seal your house that well, you should consider a heat exchange air exchange system to bring in fresh air.

And just to mention geotherm, I am envious of the guy with the 8 ton system for only $35k. None of my bids were anywhere approaching that.