# Forced air or hot water?



## Michihunter (Jan 8, 2003)

Terry Williams said:


> We are just starting the process ourselves, but I believe they are a viable alternative to those that are looking to get out from underneath propane or oil. We have sold one and I'm preparing a quote for another.
> 
> We are also going to market customers that are using propane. I live in a fairly new house (8 years old) and have Geo thermal and one of my neighbors called me and asked me about Geo thermal and I told him a ball park price and I could hear the sigh in his voice as his house is newer than mine.
> 
> ...


I'd venture to bet we agree on a whole lot more than we disagree on Terry.


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## tinmarine (Nov 19, 2007)

I don't know Ted, I might be adding something to the line.


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## Michihunter (Jan 8, 2003)

tinmarine said:


> I don't know Ted, I might be adding something to the line.


Let me know and I'll do some studying. Terry would be a huge help in the service side of it I'd imagine.


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## Terry Williams (Dec 20, 2000)

I think if this concept is sucessfull we may see other players enter into the market. Rheem, Carrier, Trane etc....maybe not. My only concen is support as I don't want to be left "out in the cold". 

I have a post on another site to see what HVAC contractors are saying across the country.


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## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

My company has installed a few Acadia's and have not seen a diffence in them to our standard a/a pumps with electric strip heat added and the acadias cost much more than our standard a/a just what we have noticed the last few years. Good luck


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## Terry Williams (Dec 20, 2000)

My questions are have you had any service issues? Have you used it on a fossil fuel furnace? Have you had any customer complaints? How is the quality of the equipment in your opinion?

Thanks in advance


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## tinmarine (Nov 19, 2007)

N M Mechanical said:


> My company has installed a few Acadia's and have not seen a diffence in them to our standard a/a pumps with electric strip heat added and the acadias cost much more than our standard a/a just what we have noticed the last few years. Good luck


 
Kind of curious on your opinion on what would be a better quality unit compared to the Acadia. What's the best bang for the buck?


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## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

Kind of curious on your opinion on what would be a better quality unit compared to the Acadia. What's the best bang for the buck? 

Quality is good don't get me wrong but with no local dealers that I know of carring the parts readly. I have installed only 8 Acadia's one real service call. I over sized them and no complaints from the customers. But I had to pay $900 more for the equipment than my normal equipment with the same features. Also the one service call that I did have the customer had to wait three days until the board came in. If a local supplier would carry the parts than maybe just to be differnet from the other contractors in the area. hope this helps Nick


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## Brian S.Kroll (Jan 23, 2005)

I live up here, on the 45th parallel, and built a new house last year.The house is super insulated, with "low E" glass.
The choice in Heat/AC was for Geothermal, was closed loop, or an air source heat pump. The cost differential was over $12,500 for closed loop, only an incremental $1800 for an air source heat pump, over the cost of traditional AC.
...The worst heat bill last winter for the heat pump was $23.55, when the heat was set at 60 degrees, before I moved in. My highest AC bill this summer, after I moved in, was $10.02.The local electric utility gives me a fifty percent discount on this service.
...The "balance point" on my heat pump is 18 degrees, then it switches over to a high efficiency gas (propane) forced air.
...Break even point on the heat pump is three and a half years.


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## tinmarine (Nov 19, 2007)

Brian S.Kroll said:


> I live up here, on the 45th parallel, and built a new house last year.The house is super insulated, with "low E" glass.
> The choice in Heat/AC was for Geothermal, was closed loop, or an air source heat pump. The cost differential was over $12,500 for closed loop, only an incremental $1800 for an air source heat pump, over the cost of traditional AC.
> ...The worst heat bill last winter for the heat pump was $23.55, when the heat was set at 60 degrees, before I moved in. My highest AC bill this summer, after I moved in, was $10.02.The local electric utility gives me a fifty percent discount on this service.
> ...The "balance point" on my heat pump is 18 degrees, then it switches over to a high efficiency gas (propane) forced air.
> ...Break even point on the heat pump is three and a half years.


What brand of heat pump did you go with?


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## Terry Williams (Dec 20, 2000)

I have a water furnace in my house and love it


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## Brian S.Kroll (Jan 23, 2005)

> What brand of heat pump did you go with?


...Carrier.


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## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

the brands I use are Tappan, Goodman & Trane rather use Tappan or Trane. The supply houses in town have the parts if needed. And for us we have been installing a/a's for less than a standard 92% furnace and 13 seer a/c. I was said I would not install the same equipment as the companys around but selling a unit with a Name that the public knows of is much easier to sell even though there are other units out there just as good.


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## Brian S.Kroll (Jan 23, 2005)

I'm less influenced by the brand, than I am by the people themselves that I do business with. Geofurnace put my equipment in and did a great job.
...I've known the guys that started the business since they worked for someone else.


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## Brian S.Kroll (Jan 23, 2005)

Just got my heat bill for last month with the Heat Pump.
...$38.89.
And, it has been pretty cold up here so far.


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## fishenrg (Jan 9, 2008)

Brian S.Kroll said:


> I'm less influenced by the brand, than I am by the people themselves that I do business with. Geofurnace put my equipment in and did a great job.
> ...I've known the guys that started the business since they worked for someone else.


Those guys are definitely top notch. I recommend them all the time in my work. They are true experts in geothermal and great people, they would not lead anybody wrong.


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## bigcountrysg (Oct 9, 2006)

I have baseboard radiant heat. It sucks in my opinion, costing me a lot more to heat my house then my dads house with forced air. Both houses are about the same size. 

maybe mine is not working properly. I do not know, but I do know that I wish I had forced air.


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## Michihunter (Jan 8, 2003)

bigcountrysg said:


> I have baseboard radiant heat. It sucks in my opinion, costing me a lot more to heat my house then my dads house with forced air. Both houses are about the same size.
> 
> maybe mine is not working properly. I do not know, but I do know that I wish I had forced air.


There could be a ton of reasons why that's true Big(costing you more) but I highly doubt that you would see a reduction in costs with forced air of the same efficiency rating as your current boiler. In fact, I'd bet good money you'd actually see an increase. Hydronic heating is more efficient as far as actual comfort to temp reading if it's working properly meaning you can normally turn your thermostat down a few degrees with the hydronic to feel the same comfort level you would with forced air.


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## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

Brian S.Kroll said:


> Just got my heat bill for last month with the Heat Pump.
> ...$38.89.
> And, it has been pretty cold up here so far.


 was this your total electric bill with lights? My electric bill was higher than yet with just lights


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## Brian S.Kroll (Jan 23, 2005)

N M Mechanical said:


> was this your total electric bill with lights? My electric bill was higher than yet with just lights


One meter is for the heat pump, at 50% off, and a second meter is at full rate (8.4 cents Per KW).
...The second meter bill was for $80.00, for everything else.


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