Ask a Geothermal Expert

Geothermal Retrofit Feasibility Q: Is it feasible to do a geothermal retrofit? A: Sometimes it is…sometimes not. If you’re gutting the house, a geo retrofit is as simple as a new installation. If you’re not, read on… The primary goal is to reduce the load. This means upgrading windows and insulation first. These costs will translate into a significantly... [Read more of this review]

Beware the over sized kitchen exhaust fan Homeowners often select oversized kitchen exhaust fans not realizing that they require makeup air - adding considerably to the cost of their house project. A sales representative may not even mention the “make-up air” issue at all and the the homeowner can subsequently experience some serious sticker-shock... [Read more of this review]

Don’t do this unless a P.Eng signs off on it OR it’s a swamp with advective flow Q: I have limited yard space for a horizontal loop. I’ve seen “slinky” loops in photos. How do they work? A: The premise that slinky loops will let you get more heat capacity from a smaller loop footprint is inherently flawed. When applying the laws of thermodynamics... [Read more of this review]

DIY do-it-yourself geothermal projects Q: Can I install a geothermal system myself? It doesn’t seem that complicated. A: While it might not “seem” that complicated, Geoexchange / geothermal systems require multi-disciplinary skill sets and the most important part of the system is the design of it. A heat loss analysis of the building should be... [Read more of this review]

geothermal heating for a greenhouse Q: I have a dry water well borehole that I’d like to use for geothermal / geoexchange to heat my greenhouse. A: Your borehole can heat and cool a greenhouse of 1,000 to 2,000 sq ft depending on what temperatures you want to maintain. With the geothermal / geoexchange system you can keep the greenhouse mostly “closed”,... [Read more of this review]