Just joined the forum, but off and on over the last 8 years I have read quite a bit and learned a lot. My Geo backstory: I purchased my 1400 sq ft raised ranch in 1997 (first time home buyer), and it was originally all electric. Electric baseboard, electric appliances, electric dryer, electric HW heater, you get the idea ALL electric.. The previous owner had installed a pellet stove (36k btu/hr) in the finished basement (which is about 400 sq feet of the total 1400 sq ft living space). They cut a couple of vents in the living room and kitchen floors to get the heat from the pellet stove into the upstairs living space. Eventually after living with it for almost 11 years, I got disgusted not only with the electric bills in Winter, but the upkeep of the failing pellet stove, and the yearly increasing cost of pellet fuel, and storage of 2-3 tons of fuel in the garage and basement Fall thru Winter. I decided to take out a home equity line of credit, and decided I should upgrade the heating system and I also wanted central A/C as I was also tired of installing and removing the three small window AC units each year, which did a poor job of humidity control. After months of research in early 2008, I decided that a geo install was likely to cost the least in the very long term (over 30 years) because I had no plans to ever sell my house, first-and-last. I also had a lot of time for the geo to pay itself off in lower costs. The financial difference in oil/central , gas/central, and geo was about $10,000. I figured that geo could beat that spread over 17 years, given that oil was near all time highs, plus I had no gas service, it would cost extra to get it run to my house. I removed the pellet stove a month before the install, good riddance!! Install went from November to December. 3 different contractors in all. The original installer subcontracted a well driller to do the geo well (they did a fast weekend of work and I had my well). They also hired an excavator to trench from the well to my foundation (6 foot depth). Afterwards, the well drilling guys came back and did the pass through my basement wall, then the excavator guy came back and filled the trench. Well drillers then did a weekend pressure test at about 60 psi to check for leaks, It was good (I checked several times during the weekend). Time for the interior install: Abysmal. Catastrophic.EPIC failure..$$$$... And I did not understand it at the time of the install, because I did not know how to identify the installation failures. Another post for another time perhaps. That Geo/HVAC company is long gone. Sued by a couple of their customers and the owner dissolved the company. I found out later (years) when I went looking for them online. Found the court filings. Wow.. Ok, so I guess I chose my installer badly. Some blame on me, a lot of blame on them. Fast forward to early 2016 Jan-Feb-March, and I finally have a 100% functional system. Very pleased with last full year of operation. Trouble free.
Welcome. Yours is a sad story that happens way to often IMHO. Glad you survived the install and are happy with your system now. You should start a thread for those who may follow in your footsteps based on your experience to help others. Eric
Glad it is finally worked out! Ditto on Eric's suggestion. You should create a testimonial thread. I too have learned so much from these folks over the last 6 years!
It's hard to detail my installation experience without it turning it into a tirade rant. My normally rational demeanor gets bent when dwelling on my experience with the installer. Part of the problem was me. I wanted to avoid a confrontation, I had no prior experience with any kind of contractor as a homeowner. I don't even want to name the company or owner. It's all just bad. I would have to dedicate a few hours to writing about it...
