Jamesville, NY
Square Footage: 2,400
Year Built: 1820
Annual Energy Cost: $240/year
A 200 year old home being brought into the modern age and transforming the quality of life of the homeowner. After one of her friends installed geothermal heating and cooling in his home, Karen decided to attend an open house sponsored by HeatSmart CNY. She proceeded to attend 2 more open house events, a community meeting, and office hours. Karen learned valuable lessons that allowed her to chose the system and installer that worked best for her.
Since switching to geothermal, Karen has better control over the temperature of each area in her house. Prior to making renovations, she was only heating a few rooms in the house during the winter. After making the switch, Karen is now able to heat and use every room in her house and host friends and family in the winter. She no longer needs to worry about having wood cut or the high costs of heating her entire home with propane. The power generated by her solar array during the summer is net metered for use in the winter. Her electricity bill is now only the basic connection charge of about $20/month.
“It has liberated me to focus on other parts of my life other than just surviving,” she observed. “I can sleep upstairs, work comfortably in my studio, and cook more in the kitchen. As my body has aged, to have the heat be a given at this point is wonderful.” This project goes to show that even in an older home, geothermal can still be a viable option for heating and cooling.
Installation and Energy Details
Prior Energy system: Oil furnace, wood stove and propane furnace; no cooling
Prior Insulation or Sealing: Fiberglass/sheetrock downstairs, blown in cellulose upstairs, spray foam around basement rim joist
New Energy System: Ground source heat pump
New Insulation or Sealing: Cellulose added in attic, and replaced 3 exterior doors
System Specifications:
- Ground Source Heat Pump: Geostar Sycamore 4 ton with a horizontal loopfield
- Solar PV: 10kW ground mounted system
Results
Motivation for Heat Pump Technology
Expenses
| Cost Category | Initial Cost | Incentives | Final Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground Source Heat Pump | $36,571 | NYSERDA incentive: $4,775 30% federal tax credit: $9,538 | $22,258 |
| Solar PV System | $33,429 | NYSERDA rebate: $3,381 30% federal tax credit: $9,014 | $21,034 |
| Grand Total | $70,000 | $26,708 (38% of total) | $43,292 |
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