Air source heat pumps don't make sense in areas where winter temps frequently fall below 32 degrees. Once you get below freezing, you will be running the auxillary heat a lot. If you decide to go the air source route, you will want a second stage gas fired auxillary heat. I live in the mid-atlantic region in the mountains and selected GT. That choice was coupled with a blown cellulose insulation package. My other choice was a propane heat/electric AC with a foam insulation package. Both options were roughly the same install cost. Both would have provided similar energy efficiency. At the time we selected, propane was 3.75 a gallon and rising (with no end in sight) so we went with GT. The delta cost for the GT system (above the cost for a HE propane heat and electric AC system) was $15,000 for the heat pumps and loop plumbing (including pumps) plus $17,000 for digging the pit. The pit excavation should not have cost as much as it did but it is a 12 ton system and the hole was gigantic (120' x 48' x 6'). We live on a mountain and hit a bunch of boulders that required special equipment to get out. Rocky soil also required a 1' base of stone dust to cover the loop piping. The total cost for the GT HVAC system including all ducting was $50,000 plus the pit excavation cost of 17K. It is a large investment and I would only recommend it if you plan to live in the house a very long time. My heating bills are great - maybe 300 dollars maximum a month during peak winter for an 8500 square foot home (5900 living and the rest a condiitoned but unfinished basement). Make sure that whatever equipment you choose can be maintained by more than 1 very qualified HVAC company who has many years of GT experience. In my area there is only 1 GT company who has over 20 years of experience but I am stuck with them for maintenance. There have been times when I wanted to fire them but cannot. Local competition is a good thing. Also - if you build a tight home make sure that you consider ventilation and dehumidification in the HVAC design. I wound up adding both a whole house dehumidifier and energy recovery vent after we moved in becuase we had basement moisture issues as well as stale air in the winter. Tight homes are great for energy efficiency but can create health issues too. It is easy to deal with as long as you plan for it. Good luck with the build.

The most efficient way to heat your radiant in-floor and domestic hot water is with a water-to-water geothermal heat pump. If you would also like air-conditioning too, use a triple function geothermal heat pump; full capacity hot water for radiant in floor and domestic hot water as well as forced air for both heating & cooling. Divide your electrical rate by the COP of the GSHP to determine the cost per kW. ItÂs usually a factor of 3.5~5. Geothermal has the highest initial cost but the money goes directly into the value of your home. Geo also has the lowest operating & lifecycle cost and highest user satisfaction rate. Did I mention GREEN? After opening the link below, click 'Products' then click 'TR-Series', then download the R410a Models pdf. SR Here is a link that might be useful: Nordic Triple Function Series GSHP

Post your electric rate in cents per kw-hr, and your gas rate in either $ per ccf or $ per therm. The heat output of a gas furnace is very similar to electric resistance strips if enough kw are used. Utility costs decide which is cheaper. 5 kw electric strips put out air temps about 15F greater than room temperature. So a typical 10kw strip heat puts out 100 degree air if the room temp is 70F (70 + 30 = 100). This# is based on 1200 cfm air flow from the indoor fan. 15kw = 115F which is more in the range of gas furnace temps. The air handler must be sized to handle this heating load. These temps are for the strip heat only and do not include any btu's from the heat pump. The heat pump itself puts out air temps from about 90F to 100F based on outdoor air temps. The 90F supply temp air from the heat pump combined with 20 kw aux electric strips provides minimum 120F output air when needed. Heat pumps provide enough heat up until the balance point, which is around 32F or so based on home construction/insulation (mine is 25F). At temps lower than the balance point, aux heat is needed - either furnace or strips. The good thing with the strips is they can run along with the heat pump. The furnace cannot run when the heat pump is in heating mode; its one or the other. When the heat pump goes into defrost mode, the air output is in the low 50's. 10 kw provides 30F to temper the air into the low 80's so it doesn't feel too cold while the heat pump is defrosting. The furnace will provide 120F air during a defrost cycle. The heat pump is typically 300% efficient down to 35F ambient. Heat pumps make cheap heat. One comment about the XP-19. It's "up to 19 SEER". Not all combinations get 19 SEER. Model numbers can be used to determine actual SEER. Also, dual-compressor systems like the XP-19 are more for hot and humid summers than for heating. In the cooling mode, running on 1st stage saves $$ and reduces humidity. Once on 2nd stage, it loses its operating $$ benefits. A 14/15 SEER usually provides the best combination of purchase price and operating cost. If you can afford a "19 SEER" system, go for it. Whichever SEER you get, you want as close to 12 EER and 9 HSPF as you can get for low operating costs in cooling and heating respectively. Good luck.

In our previous home we installed a gas fireplace in footings left by the previous owners. I loved it. It warmed the basement nicely. Down side--keeping the kids away. It was flush with the wall and did not have a raised hearth that tends to stand as a barrier. When we moved I was not THRILLED to have a wood burning fireplace. We lived here a good 5/6 years before we ever used it. The mess in my living room was my main issue. We too have acreage=free wood but with no gas lighter, the mess of kindling etc...well all I can say is the candles that I burned in it were very nice ambiance. To convert, one has to run a new flue insert up inside the existing chimney. I am not sold on the "health" issues--anyone can find any studies to support their beliefs--but I can attest to what burning anything does to one's paint. I do not know if a gas fireplace would show lines where the rafters run under the dry wall like candles and wood fireplaces do. If I had an extra $5k and could be convinced running the gas line would not be hideous I would absolutely convert. My sis added one to her basement. Maybe it was a cheaper model but when it is on it actually creates a wind tunnel sucking colder air into the room. The venting/fan needs to be done well. On a side note our home also came with a wood burning stove which we used all day, all winter. It made the finished basement actually usable. A few years back we converted to a corn burner--so much less work!! Now we use wood pellets as the price of corn is prohibitive. Also I prefer not using FOOD for fuel. Filling the pellet stove once a day vs. every hour is a "GOOD THING". I believe there are many places that are outlawing wood burning fireplaces in new construction. As with the rotary phone soon there will be a generation who only know of wood fires in the back yard!