Anyone familiar with geothermal heating?

[Comdrpopnfresh]

Looking at options in planning upgrades to a small cottage with ancient facilities that are just scraping by. Almost all the domestic appliances and utility services are being eyed for upgrade/replacement. If suitable, it looks like a geothermal system would take care of multiple items already on the list

 

[vi edit]

How much ground do you have to work with?

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

My initial impression is that an open-loop configuration is best suited to the conditions- remote location, rocky geology, a stream nearby, and the water supply is well-sourced

Am I right in getting the impression that loop burial is the largest expense associated with geothermal systems? That is my reasoning for open-loop being the way to go- cost will be a factor in any upgrade decisions, and hopefully a geothermal setup can make sense for us on account of it covering/coinciding with multiple things that would otherwise require multiple purchases to replace

 

[skyking]

Open loop will still require quite a bit of piping to bring sufficient water over, and to put it back.
If you want to make hot water with it, be prepared to spend some. I'd rather install solar hot water than to try and use the geo.

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

the cottage will likely see the oil stove, oil hot water heater, and current pump (thus another well being drilled) being replaced. I mentioned the stream because I figure the water table around it is such that the aquifer the well feeds from is self replenishing & a new well could produce enough water of sufficient flow characteristics to allow an open-loop system with either a return well or vertically split source/injection. sourcing the water for open loop from the stream isn't the thought in mind. litle/no solar/wind resources keep them from factoring into any of this

 

[Barfo]

lava pool ftw

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

I guess I'd get an easy answer if someone could tell me the ballpark range of a new well-fed open-loop geothermal h/c/hw system. If it is comparable to the combined prices of a new heating system, hot water heater, and a change from home heating oil to electric or LP, then a geothermal system is something we might pursue

 

[Imp]

You'd probably be better off just insulating your house properly so that you use less energy to heat it in the first place.

There are 95% efficient natural gas furnaces, probably with propane versions. Only a few $k compared with the pump, drilling, etc. you need with geothermal.

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

an upgrade under consideration is a new buried pump- instantly requires a second well.
So, the well and well drilling is a draw in any case. the well-fed open loop config doesn't involve all that drilling and loop burial