Geothermal Heat Pump Installation Costs Explained
The cost of a geothermal retrofit depends on a few different variables.
1. The results of a Home Performance Energy Audit:
First, the heating and cooling loads of the home
determine how much exterior work must be done, as well as the cost of the
actual heat pump(s) themselves. These loads are a function of the
layout of your home, your home's square footage, the existing state of
insulation in the walls and attic and how air-tight everything is.
Before we install a heat pump, we require that the homeowner have a home
energy audit performed by a qualified inspector (we offer these services as
well.) The data collected from the audit will later be used to run
what are known as "Manual J Calculations" in order to determine the final
numbers. Usually as a result of the audit, a number of issues will be
identified which can be fixed for a modest amount of money, but which can
substantially lower the heating and cooling load numbers, and therefore also
the cost of the geothermal system. A second series of tests is usually
then required to determine the new loads on the home; however this takes far
less time and money than the initial audit. We charge $500 for the
initial audit and and then about $500-$600 for the Manual J calculations
performed after the second round of testing, depending on the size and
geometric complexity of the home. As a member of the Home Performance
with Energy Star Program, we can also help you get substantially reduced
loans and even cash back incentives for some customers to pay for this audit
and system.
For those looking to get a rough estimate on the cost of a heat pump in
their home, we offer a "Barebones" audit for $250 which will allow us to
compute an approximate cost range. However, if you choose to proceed
with the installation, we will need to conduct the aforementioned audits
later in order to accurately size the equipment and to qualify you for
financial incentives.
2. The environmental and geological conditions of your property:
Second, after
the final load numbers for the home have been determined, the layout and
geological conditions of your property must then be taken into account.
If you have enough open land to provide enough heating and cooling capacity
for your home via a horizontal system, you may be able to save several
thousands of dollars on the installation. Alternatively, if the water
table is only a few feet down, and the water quality is sufficient, then an
open loop system or a standing water column may even be an
option. Otherwise, a vertical closed loop system will work on almost any
home in Northern Westchester. These
cost a bit more since they require that a drilling rig come in, but if the
other variables in the equation are working for you, then the cost is
usually justified. See our
site for a quick description of what I mean by these terms.
3. Ductwork:
Third, if your home has ductwork for running central air, then it may be
possible to use this with the heat pump without too much modification.
If the ductwork is well insulated, that's even better. This is where
the most substantial savings can be found since installing new ductwork can
cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars.
The Bottom Line: each installation is different and
there is no working "rule of thumb" way to price heat pumps. However,
I can give you some idea of the order of magnitude: a smaller home
(~2000 sq. ft.) with a reasonable efficiency and existing usable ductwork
can cost anywhere from $20-$50k, depending on the other factors. A
large home (>4000 sq. ft.) with the same variable values has an average
range from $65-$125K.
Even if a heat pump seems like it might be a bit out of your price range,
we urge you to still consider getting a home audit / assessment through us.
This will give you an idea of how to
maximize the impact of whatever money you eventually do spend on increasing
the efficiency of your home. The greatest impact can often be found
from the smallest initial investment in air sealing work or insulation.
If you’d be interested in acquiring our services and have not yet had an
energy assessment performed by a BPI accredited auditor, please check out
our
audit summary page. The barebones audit should only take 1-2
hours, an Energy Star audit may take up to four hours, and the advanced
audit may take up to six for the on-site work. We are available to
perform these audits any time between 8am-6pm Monday to Thursday, and
8am-4pm on Friday. Homeowners generally find it useful to be present
at least for the blower door test, which generally takes about an hour, and
may be performed at whatever time is most convenient during our visit.
