Electric heating- house in the country (can't do natural gas)
farmhousegirl
9 years ago
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virgilcarter
9 years agoineffablespace
9 years agoRelated Discussions
Ground water heat pump + natural gas
Comments (17)I'll try to answer some things as best I can and comment on all these items (appreciate all the input!) I had everything checked out/cleaned last year, there are no functionality issues that I can tell. I used gas for part of the winter last year and also the geo, both heated just fine, geo also cools just fine. It just worried me that the previous owner used the gas rather than the geo when I had assumed geo is so much more efficient. He ran the tstat in EM mode to force gas only (which is what I am doing now). I would like to use the geo if it makes sense to. Is it safe for the equipment to run geo with a setback? Maybe a large enough setback that the gas does the leg work in order bring the initial temp back up, then the geo maintains? The home is very well built and sealed, energy audit was done and insulation in key areas was added. The previous owner did all this and left me with a packet of info on all of it. The geo is a Bard, I'll have to double check the model. I know nothing about how the loops are run and honestly I'm still not 100% on the open vs closed. I will ask the previous owner who installed the geo therm unit and maybe I can get some answers. There is a manual about the unit but I don't recall seeing much more than that regarding the loops and such. Fairly certain the blower is variable. When I have the temp the same 24/7 it it is constantly moving air but at pretty low even speed. The sprinkling may be an unnecessary variable I/he threw in here. It is not part of the geo system as far as I know. Previous owner mentioned the lawn sprinkler system and that he watered every day for 5-6hrs (large yard) and that this may have led to whatever pump went out that he had to replace. The way he explained it made me think that the main well was feeding the sprinklers, geo, house, everything and the figured he had overworked it or something. Maybe this isn't how it works and these things all have their own pumps. The meter the tech installed last year I think shows PSI and when I have pulled the ring to make it show a reading it always between 5 and 6, normally around 6. I think this is good? I'm trying to understand why the owner would install a nice new nat gas furnace on top of the geo but I think it all goes back to whatever pump failed and him thinking that it would put less stress on it. -I'm glad to have to have options! But wondering how/if/should I try to figure out a way to utilize both? Smarter tstat? I know there are a lot of holes here and I apologize for that....See MoreNatural Gas or Electric?
Comments (15)When we had a gas leak a few months ago, the gas company rep shut off all gas appliances in the house, made a note of the gas meter reading, waited 10 minutes, and checked the meter reading again. That way he could tell if there was a leak inside the house somewhere, either in the gas lines or in one of the appliances. Such a test should single out a gas leak that's inside the house, which will almost definitely be your responsibility. In some communities, however, a gas line from the main to the meter is on the gas company's nickel. I would contact somebody in your Town to find out the rules. Don't ask the gas company because they'll only tell you that you have to pay for that, even if that's not the case. To find out exactly where the leak is, they use a device like a wand that they move around near the pipes and appliances. If there's a leak, the wand starts to make a loud clicking sound. Were you there when your gas rep found leaks? If not, I think it would be appropriate for you to ask how they found the leaks and exactly where they are. Since so much money is involved, it would not be unreasonable for them to come out again and show you where and how they found leaks. Your house may be 100 years old, but when was the gas line put in? How long do those things last? I think you should make sure that the company is not trying to pull a fast one on you and get you to pay for something they are responsible for....See Morenew natural gas furnace or mini ductless heat pump?
Comments (10)You are right on the cusp with a 20 yr old gas furnace of when the codes changedand the requirement of all gas equipment was for a minimum of 78% efficiency. That was '93. The question is, is yours one of the newer units or did they put in the older style. If the older, then you may be looking at a 60% efficient unit. Also, those being new designs there were some problems with those "new" units at the time. l guess after 20 yrs we can call your ok;) Although the previous owners remodeled I would make my mshp/furnace decision almost solely on the condition of the duct system. You need to have it pressure tested for leakage. Google "doeductleakage" to see what I am talking about. If the duct system passes muster then the new furnace is a choice. If it doesn't then it is not. It is not worth spending the money to repair it. I pulled all my ductowrk out and went mshp and Rinnai Energysaver (all Net to the space heating/cooling with no duct or duct losses) As a result, with the elimination of the ductwork I found two good size closets and a large storage area under the stairs and we are very comfortable....See MoreChanging from electric to natural gas
Comments (13)No, the furnace is located in the attic and is electric. The electric water heater is in the garage in a closet. And I will be buying a new dryer. I will check and see what the cost is to run a line just to the house. I would think the most likely spot would be through the brick into the garage. Then I could probably get it routed to the water heater. But then I am thinking about possible fuel spills with lawn equipment, paint thinner use etc. Having a gas water heater would not be a good idea with an open flame present. So maybe it's just best to stay with electric and insulate the tank and pipes as best I can....See Moreenergy_rater_la
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