After purchasing a house in New Hampshire with a 20-year-old ClimateMaster, and seeing issues with the plumbing, we were advised by the local distributor, Nick Orio of Water Energy (operating as northeastgeo.com) that it was time to replace the unit. Nick recommended that we contact a local plumbing and heating company, Lake Sunapee Plumbing and Heating, Newport, NH. The owner, Randy Willey, gave us an estimate of $14,650 to replace the existing unit with a Hydron HYT072A11MTINSS-6 water-to-air geothermal 5 ton heat pump. I have paid the amount in full since I wanted to claim the federal tax rebate for 2019. However, from the moment it was installed in May 2019, the unit has exhibited a loud resonant vibration that can be felt throughout the house. I have tried repeatedly to get support from Water Energy and also from the manufacture, Enertech Global. Water Energy sent a rep, who happened to be in the area, to my house in August while I was on vacation and could not be contacted --- after I had informed both Water Energy and Lake Sunapee Plumbing and Heating by e-mail that I would not be available during those dates. There has been an ongoing argument between them as to who should pay for the followup visit. I have even offered to pay for the consultation, but still to no avail. I have also been in touch with EnerTech Global to see whether they could send a different area rep to diagnose the system. The answer is "no". I have tried to file a warranty claim but was told that, as a consumer, I could not since a warranty claim must be filed by the installer! I have sent photos of the installation to Casey Thiems, Customer Relations Representative-Inside Sales, at EnerTech, but have not had any concrete response. I have written a formal letter of complaint to both Lake Sunapee Plumbing and Heating, copying Water Energy, but this went nowhere. Repeat e-mails and phone calls to the owner of Lake Sunapee Plumbing and Heating elicit the same response: he is getting nowhere with either Water Energy or EnerTech. It is clear that they just want me to go away. I have currently engaged the services of a lawyer, who has advised me to get an assessment from an independent geothermal expert (at my own expense). This will be used to inform our legal approach moving forward.
I am new to posting on the forum and am only a home owner. I thought I add my experience here. I had a resonant vibration through my house when my system was first installed. After a few months I complained to my installer about it. The installer came back and loosened the clamps to the copper pipers that connected my hot water generator to the hot water tank. This lessened the vibration, but it did not go away and I thought it was something I had to live with. Well about a year or two ago I discovered that the two floor joists that the pipes are connected to vibrate, this is after ten years listening to it. I not sure what to use but a flexible pipe I would guess will eliminate the vibrations. I don't know your situation but try feeling the area right were the pipes are connect to the house, and see if you feel any vibration. You only had your unit less than one year? I plan on fixing my vibration.
Thanks for the input, Ray S. To answer your question, this unit replaced a 20-year-old ClimateMaster system and has been installed for about a year. Since my post, we have made quite a bit of progress. Both Lake Sunapee Plumbing and Heating and Water Energy came to inspect the system and they communicated with EnerTech Global to ensure that the system was operating properly. I also had the system inspected by an independent contractor and had the well pump expert come out. The consensus of all these experts is that the newer higher efficiency heat pumps are much noisier, due to the use of scroll compressors rather than the older reciprocating compressor (contrary to marketing hype). They took steps to remediate the vibration being transmitted by connecting the water pipes via short sections of PVC pipes and added flexible hangers to the supports. This has appeared to greatly reduce the vibration, to the touch, in the piping system and the supports. However, the overall noise level in the house has not been reduced much. I am considering options for adding some sort of soundproofing to the utility room, which is in a finished basement area. I would welcome any suggestions as to how best to do this.
In your last post you made progress but the overall noise level in the house has not been reduced. Would you be able to provide more information and history for anyone reading, when did you buy your house, how old is the house. Describe the noise and its level, where is the noise heard in the house. If it is a resonating noise from the unit. It could be from the duct work where the return and/or the supply duct is attached to the unit. Another place could be the way the pipes are attached to the unit. ( Desuperheater pipes, loop hoses, ? condensation pipe). Another could be how the actual unit is mounted. You could take pictures of each of these areas and post them for any readers who also had this problem. Not sure if this would locate an area but if you tapped or placed something that vibrates gently on each area, and see if it is heard in the house one area louder than another. I Googled this, Another would be to put pressure on each area of the unit while it is running and see if the noise goes away or is lessen in volume in that area the house. How is your system running, how are your electric bill, are they better than with the old unit. What kind of system do you have, type backup heat. Type of loop and size, which pump and size (is it new or existing). What was changed for the installation of the new unit. Any performance figures, a copy should have been left with IOM packet near your unit. Was the distributor there for the install? I am just a home owner who only experience is with my own system installation.
