Water Source Heat Pump Cost Estimate

Go to the Trane or Carrier (or other manufacturer's) websites for help.

At some point, probably soon, you will need to disclose your location.

Yes I will try Trane & Carrier, we get most of our air handling units from them. We are in the greater Philadelphia area, but we do work outside of PA. I am looking for a general estimate, but I understand that climate conditions have a big impact on heating/cooling loads. So maybe we divide it into an above average year-round temperature area, a temperate area, and a below average year-round temperature area.

A three ton unit will cool 1,800 SF at Lat 42 degrees residential. You may be able to extrapolate for commercial at your more southerly location.

Generally, heat pumps don't work north of Baltimore, MD or when winter brings sub 40 degree days often. Then, the backup heat coil comes on (likely electric, oil, or gas).

One ton is 12,000 BTU's.

I just went through all of this at my primary residence which has two zones this size.

we are much further north than baltimore. in BC, the temperature often goes below 32F in the winter and, we have no trouble running the heat pumps.

goes below 32F

Surely the auxillary heat source is utilized during those (<32F) conditions.

The milder the climate, the less often the auxillary heat source is needed. The economy works best when "heat" is taken from the ambient outside source (i.e. heat pump) and not from the electric (oil, or gas) auxillary coil.

My area has 119 days where ambient temperature <40F. Go to the Trane website and find your condition. You will find that more moderate climates have fewer <40F days to "heat". Washington D.C. is a more moderate climate where these units work economically both in winter and summer.

As you get further south (Florida, Texas), the opposite problem occurs. Fewer <40F "heating days", but many more >70F "cooling days".

You do know that a heat pump is nothing more than an air compressor capable of running backwards. Winter=heat source. Summer=heat sink.

A moderate climate balances out this dual purpose whereas harsh climates favor one or the other (heat, cool). At the extremes, one of these dual purposes becomes inefficient.

You might want to try www.climatemaster.com and find your local distributor.

You may also want to investigate a ground source heat pump. The cost may be a little higher depending on how deep they need to put the pipes.

1 ton of cooling = 12,000 BTU / hr

Google Water Furnace

Please note that this fellow is interested in a heat pump that uses WATER. The outside temperature DOES NOT MATTER. The water comes from below the permafrost and is at a relatively constant temperature. The source could be a well or buried loop that is recirculated. This system works great! I save thousands of dollars a year heating and cooling. For years now my neighbors have been amazed that my utility bills are one half of what they pay. Hope the heating/cooling "experts" in your area get up to speed on this technology that has been around for decades. As a side - the fuel (oil) you save does not have to come from the other side of the world by supertanker from countries that despise their U.S. customers. During the last oil crisis in the 70's our government offered rebates and tax incetives to conserve oil. And you know what? it worked! We insulated our houses, bought smaller cars and almost immediately cut alot of wastseful consumption overnight. BE PATRIOT!---CONSERVE

Fact noted.

The OP is interested in the "geothermal" solution, not traditional "heat pump" problem.

At some point in the discussion I realized this, but the thread seemed to have ended.

This solution would be practical much further north as the "water temperature" used as the "heat source" does not get so cold in the winter as does the ambient air "heat spurce"

These were tried in the 1970's and will surely be tried again now (or whenever energy becomes expensive).

These geothermal solutions were forgotten for about 25 years but are being considered again now (for obvious reasons).

They are expensive to install and that is why they were not fully exploited.