Connecticut Need some unbiased input on these 2 proposals Read more: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/commun

So I've gotten 2 proposals from different geothermal contractors and I just wanted some unbiased opinions on the work and equipment. Both proposals came in at around 40k so there's no huge up front cost benefit from one over the other.

Company A is proposing a 3 ton Hydron YT Series 2 Stage heat pump
Full Load: Cooling 41,200 BTUs at 20.9 EER, Heating 29,100 BTUs at 4.5 COP
Part Load: Cooling 31,500 BTUs at 31.3 EER, Heating 23,300 BTUs at 5.1 COP

Company B has 2 options, a Waterfurnace Series 5 single stage model 030 or double stage model 038
Single Stage: Cooling 27,900 BTUs at 21.1 EER, Heating 20,300 BTUs at 3.7 COP
or
Full Load: Cooling 38,200 BTUs at 19.7 EER, Heating 28,500 BTUs at 4.2 COP
Part Load: Cooling 29,500 BTUs at 28.0 EER, Heating 22,900 BTUs at 4.8 COP

Both systems come with a 10 year parts and 5 year labor warranty (hydron actually has an extra 5 years labor for free if I register the product)

Company A said his calculations came in a little over what a 2 ton unit would handle, so he went with the next size up, 3 tons. The 3 ton would handle any real cold outside temperatures and not resort to back-up electric like the 2 ton would.

Proposal was $37,800, not including needing to hire an electrician to upgrade to 200amps

Company B said the the manual J load calculation showed a 23,165 BTU/HR heat loss so he went with the 2.5 ton unit. He also said that Waterfurnace has been the industry leader for decades and, while the Hydron Module is nice, it lacks the more sophisticated electronics found in Waterfurnace products. Hydron uses very basic mechanical controls without adequate protection from things like freezing. His initial proposal was for the single stage, but he said for an extra $700 I could get the double stage.

Proposal (Option 1) $38,800

Proposal (Option 2) $39,500

There's also an option to upgrade my electrical to 200amps for an extra $1,800.

Company B will also remove the baseboard radiators from the house.

 

As a homeowner who got burned once, I suggest having both companies give you references for customers who've had similar systems to what they are recommending installed. The quality of the installer should be your deciding factor.

My first installation was done by a company that had been in the HVAC business for 50 years, but if I had talked to some of their geothermal customers (and especially any who'd had hydronic geo installed by them) I would've run away. My second installation with all new equipment and piping is going strong.