When Kyle and Valerie started planning their dream home, they were no strangers to the capabilities of geothermal (and solar). Kyle commented, “It was never a question. We wanted geothermal because that’s what I do for a living. And we certainly believe in geothermal, and all the benefits it gives us.” As GeoComfort’s Solar Sales Manager, Kyle was excited to practice what he preaches at work, the four steps to energy independence: invest in proper insulation, limit energy use by heating, cooling, and generating hot water with geothermal, create power with solar, and the last step, store excess power with batteries.
Installation Details
The house is kept air-tight with spray foam cellulose insulation on all exterior walls, the roof deck, as well as foam board insulation on basement slab and walls. One compact geothermal system provides forced air heating, radiant heat, and 100% of the domestic hot water needs, with a separate, compact horizontal system providing forced air cooling, which offers ample space in the mechanical room for storage. For an even higher level of comfort and efficiency, the house is set up with 4 forced air zones and 5 hydronic radiant zones, allowing for flexibility in temperature throughout.
