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Anyone out there have experience with alternative heating sources for residential homes?

G+_Keith Mallett

By G+_Keith Mallett,
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G+_Keith Mallett Newbie

G+_Keith Mallett

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Anyone out there have experience with alternative heating sources for residential homes? Right now I'm using a propane furnace with 100lb tanks but I need to replace my residential furnace this year. Natural Gas is not an option for many years (maybe 10+) because of construction issues and I would rather not install an oil tank. Electric furnaces seem to be very poor performance to cost. Installation of a larger propane tank is not going to be an option for a few years (again access & construction). Just wondering if there is another option besides NG/LP/Oil/Electric as I'm going to need a solution that will last up to a decade.

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G+_610GARAGE Newbie

G+_610GARAGE

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Where do you live. A heat pump may be an option. Geothermal is a great option if you can afford the upfront cost and have the land. I say upfront costs because it is cheaper to run. A geo system can not only heat your air, but also cool it, heat your water, and even heat your swimming pool. (sorry if I sound like a salesman, my day job is working at an hvac company :) )

 

Wood pellets is a back braking option. My dad installed a fireplace that uses them in our house. They make fireplaces and I believe furnaces. But you do have to lug around bags of wood pellets.

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G+_Gary Cheney Newbie

G+_Gary Cheney

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610bob Small world, I have to agree with you. I also was in hvac 40+ years. I like the heat transfer of the new 410 heat pump systems. The ductwork is critical if you are switching to any heat pump system, otherwise you won't be getting the efficiency the systems can deliver.

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G+_Keith Mallett Newbie

G+_Keith Mallett

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Hey guys this is great! Thanks Mike Litzenberger but must agree with 610bob and Gary Cheney as I live North of the 44 latitude so the heat pumps won't be as effective.

 

I also don't want to get into the pellets, I've heard too many horror stories.

 

Long term, we want to get back on NG but its cost prohibitive for now. We converted our NG furnace to LP when the service was dug up last year to allow for the road work which will go on till mid 2017 at least but the supply lines on our property side also need to be replaced, Enbridge's price was toooo much to swallow so we converted.  I was just thinking there might be another solution as we are looking at installing solar to offset some of our electrical usage as well.

 

The furnace is 30+ years old so it is not worth spending anything on and I was thinking of getting a newer more energy efficient unit but they only seem to be NG and LP.

 

Thanks! Appreciate the input.

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G+_610GARAGE Newbie

G+_610GARAGE

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Keith Mallett Don't confuse a geothermal system with a heat pump. A heat pump uses the outside air to get heat. A geothermal system uses heat from the ground (which is a constant 50F ish). So it would still be efficient where you live.

 

Just curios, what horror stories have you heard about pellets?

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G+_Keith Mallett Newbie

G+_Keith Mallett

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LOL ok good to know 610bob thank you. Can you suggest some links so I can educate myself about the geothermal system?

 

Pellets - nothing about the units, mostly about the pellets. How they take up a lot of space to store, how they 'seem' to attack vermin. and How they can be a back breaking for older people to use. Got some good info? share it.

 

I am open to anything at this point. Right now, I am lugging 100lb LP tanks when I need them filled.

 

Thanks guys! This is great.

 

Anyone got any info about solar panel? I have an RV that I am looking at setting up on solar as well.

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G+_610GARAGE Newbie

G+_610GARAGE

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http://www.waterfurnace.com/how-it-works.aspx

That is the manufacture that we use. I would also include our website, but I fear the internet. :)

 

Yea, thats the life of a pellet owner. :) Unfortunately, I don't have any info on it. My dad just wanted something to fill the void in our fireplace and he got a pellet fireplace.

 

Yikes, you can't get a truck in to fill your LP tanks?

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G+_Travis Hershberger Newbie

G+_Travis Hershberger

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You've also got coal stokers.  Yes, you would have to deal with coal, but only 1 or 2 small buckets per day.  They're a LOT more reliable than pellet stoves as they have no moving parts.  An anthracite burning stoker has a tube down the center that holds the coal.  Anthracite coal burns so slowly, and the tube restricts oxygen availability, so that only the coal near the lower end of the tube actually burns.  Keeping it running is simply shaking the ashes out and adding a bucket of coal once a day.

 

You do need to pay attention to what size coal pellets they use.  The larger the coal pellet, the less expensive the coal will be for you (it doesn't need ground down as much.)

 

Can you tell I have chimney sweeps in the family that sell this stuff?

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G+_Robert Foster Newbie

G+_Robert Foster

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We just installed in mid 2015 a "geothermal" heat pump system. It involves a 200' loop per ton (installed by the HVAC contractor.) It is about twice times as efficient as a normal air cooled heat pump since it uses the ground temperature for the heat sink which is about 64 F where I live. Although it is more expensive.

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G+_610GARAGE Newbie

G+_610GARAGE

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Wayne Hobbins That's not really an issue. We install our horizontal loops 6ft down and never had an issue. But most of our installs uses wells. A couple hundred feet down, it won't matter where you live, it will be warm down there. :)

 

But were also competent. If a contractor does not size the loop correctly or install it deep enough, then yes, your loop can freeze. And contractors will play with loop size to get the lowest price. So what you're saying isn't unheard of. It's just a matter of getting a good HVAC company.

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G+_Cole Brodine Newbie

G+_Cole Brodine

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I work for a power company and we have rebates for geothermal heat pump systems. Lots of people in our area use them. You typically can get a decent tax rebate on them also and some places offer low or no interest loans to put them in, so don't let the initial cost scare you away. Make sure to look into all the funding sources.

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G+_610GARAGE Newbie

G+_610GARAGE

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Wayne Hobbins I have a feeling a lot has changed since then. I think geothermal was still in its infancy 40 years ago. And homes have gotten a lot tighter.

 

We have been asked if we could do geo in a barn conversion. Unless they seal it really well (like spray foaming the entire inside) we have to say no. Geothermal won't work in that situation. We would never be able to move enough heat out of the ground to serve a leak barn conversion.

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G+_Keith Mallett Newbie

G+_Keith Mallett

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peter berrett Yes I'm thinking of doing. Only issue is the size of the house.

 

This has been great folks! So glad I asked. 610bob we will explore the geothermal system to see if we can do that.

 

Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ A lot of good info here. Alternative systems are on the rise!

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