Custom Mechanical Services » Geothermal

Geothermal Service: “A Friend in the Business”

Custom Mechanical Services — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:42:35 +0000

I recently built a large geothermal home in CT. The unit had several mechanical issues and never seemed to perform as advertised. I was becoming frustrated with the system and my calls were being ignored from the installer. In desperation after spending another night using only electric heat, I called Joe at Custom Mechanical Services after seeing an ad online. His men were out to the site the next day, correctly diagnosed the mechanical problems and completely explained how the system should work and how it differs from a normal heating system. They indicated during the visit that they thought the system was undersized and offered to put me in touch with someone who could independently verify the heating and cooling needs of the house. I did as they suggested and [Joe's] original assessment that the unit was undersized was exactly correct.

As the house was almost a year old, the original installer’s warranty was running out. With Joe’s help at Custom Mechanical Services, he coached me through the process of becoming educated with the system and with Joe’s knowledge, I was able to get the [original] contractor to fix the problems that I had with the house. Joe acted like having a “friend in the business”. Without Joe’s help, I would not have been able to judge whether or not the contractor’s actions were legitimate or just another way of buying time until the warranty was up. Joe saved me tons of money and even more aggravation because I could ask the installer the right questions and be sure I got the repairs done quickly and properly.

When I went to Joe’s office to decide on how much I owed him for his educational services he said “No Charge”! Shocked, I asked Joe why and he answered that he was glad to help and that he and his company had the belief that Geo Energy should get a good name and if it does, his business will prosper from that belief.

Needless to say, in this day and age, it is extremely rare to find a company or an individual to treat you as a true “friend”. Not only will Custom Mechanical Services get any of my (or my friends) business, but my faith has been restored that there are still companies out there that put people first. Joe and his staff at Custom Mechanical Services are one of them.

Jim – Killingly, CT

The Myths of Geothermal Heating and Cooling

Custom Mechanical Services — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:34:34 +0000

Geothermal heating and cooling is by no means, a new technology. It has been around, as we know it, for decades now. The technology itself is, in fact, quite simple. It’s no more complex than your average refrigerator. Furthermore, geothermal heating and cooling technology (technically known as geo-exchange) has been recognized as the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly system in the industry. Yet geothermal HVAC remains a niche market to this day.

Why?

One explanation is that early geothermal technology and methods were not as sophisticated as they are today. A combination of inexperienced contractors and DIY’ers presented a number of stumbling blocks for the new technology, including: over-sizing of units, failing to properly analyze heat load of the home, miscalculating well depths, so on and so forth. As a result, the experiences had by early adopters of geothermal systems, perpetuated many misconceptions about geothermal heating and cooling as a whole.

We would like to address a few of these common geothermal myths and bring them to light.

You Will Need a “Backup” Heat Source for Your Geothermal System

This is a common misconception about geothermal, which is a result of geothermal installations not being sized and configured properly in the past. The truth is, that when operating properly, a geothermal heating and cooling system will keep your home at a constant 72°F more efficiently than any other heating system on the market. This is why it is very important to have an experienced and knowledgeable contractor to properly design and install your geothermal system. A heat load calculation needs to be performed on your home. A heat load calculation takes into account many heat loss factors; square footage, type and size of windows, quality of insulation, orientation of the home, etc. Only then can a geothermal system be designed and installed to run at optimal performance.

Geothermal Efficiency Will Drop During Days of Extreme Cold

While outside temperatures most certainly have an effect on all heating systems, geothermal systems are affected the least. This is because the heat source for a geothermal system comes from under the ground which remains at a constant average temperature of 50°F year round. In order to heat your home, a geothermal system only needs to increase the ground source temperature by 20° and transfer it to your home. Common air-source heat pumps rely on harvesting and boosting the temperature from the outside air which, in fact are the true source of the myths about geothermal heat pump efficiency. Fossil fuel heaters need to create their own heat using combustion, starting essentially from 0°. Fuel combustion also has the negative effect of creating carbon monoxide in your home, a problem which is non-existent with a geothermal system.

Geothermal is Too Expensive

Is geothermal too expensive? The operating cost of a geothermal system is so low, there is almost no comparison to fossil fuel or electric systems. The better question to ask is not how much geothermal will cost you, but how much it will save you? The money you save on heating your home with a geothermal heat pump will pay back the cost of installation. Whereas, going with a fossil fuel system, you will always be at the mercy of continuously rising fuel costs with little hope of saving any money- let alone paying itself back in the long run.

The installation cost of a geothermal system is more expensive than your average heating/cooling system. The main reason for this is the drilling of the wells or trenching that is required for the underground loop system used to gather and dissipate heat to and from the system. This expense alone is what makes the installation more expensive. The flip-side is that the loops system is permanent, with a 55 year warranty, and a life span of about 200 years.

There are also many great benefits you can receive with a geothermal heating and cooling system. Thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, you can now receive a federal tax credit worth 30% of the entire geothermal installation cost. Additionally, the state of Connecticut is currently offering rebates of up to $2,000 per heating ton for a geothermal system. CT Light and Power also has a $1,500 energy efficiency rebate. When you add all of these benefits up, along with very low annual operating cost, the geothermal option just looks better and better.

Our Conclusion

Our business at Custom Mechanical Services is heating and cooling. Our specialty is in geothermal heating and cooling. It is our mission to uphold the good name of geo-exchange technology for everybody. It is our belief that the geothermal heating and cooling solution deserves to grow beyond just the “go green” market and become accessible and affordable to the general public, not only to help save our planet, but also to save your hard earned cash. If you are interested in a high efficiency geothermal heating and cooling system, or have any other questions, please give us a call toll free at 1-88-TO GET GEO (1-888-643-8436) or fill out our contact form.

Special Offer for All Geothermal Customers

Custom Mechanical Services — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 22:00:54 +0000

This is it. Custom Mechanical Services is now participating in a special event from WaterFurnace to bring you even more Geothermal savings!

As the event details state. New and returning customers who upgrade to Envision or Synergy3D geo units can be eligible to receive up to a $2000 rebate.

This is, of course, in addition to your 30% federal tax credit and CT renewable energy refunds you can also be qualified for.

This event has been extended to March 31, thanks to many enthusiastic customers!

Flawless Performance

Custom Mechanical Services — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:12:08 +0000

The new system worked flawlessly throughout some very cold weather, and it is quieter, more comfortable and requires less humidification than the old one. My wife and I are so pleased with the outcome of the project that we would highly recommend Custom Mechanical Services to anyone looking to install a geothermal heating system.

R. Boucher – Coventry, CT

Geothermal Systems Really Are “Magic”

Custom Mechanical Services — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:56:57 +0000

We have been enjoying our central air conditioning and hot water and have seen a greater reduction in our electric bill than anticipated! The payback for the initial installation cost will be shorter than we had anticipated. Geothermal systems really are “magic”. We have freedom from any cost of any fuels, a reduction in our electricity bill, and no compromise in home comfort… all gain, no loss. It is sustainable and planet friendly.

Jeff Raymond & Linda Lee – Plymouth, CT

Still a Happy Customer

Custom Mechanical Services — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:45:35 +0000

In 2008, I had a geothermal heating and cooling system installed by Custom Mechanical Services. The Field Supervisor, Paul, and the owner, Joe, were extremely helpful and truthful throughout the installation process. When the original equipment installed was found to have manufacturer’s defects, they took out the defective equipment and installed an entire new system. They followed through on everything they said they would do and were always available and willing to truthfully answer all of the questions I had. Altogether, I am completely satisfied by the job Custom Mechanical Services did, and would highly recommend them to anyone who asks.

D. Bellini

Connecticut Opens a State-wide Geothermal Grant

Custom Mechanical Services — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:14:26 +0000

We at Custom Mechanical Services are excited to announce that, beginning on December 1st, the State of Connecticut is allotting 4 million dollars of federal stimulus money to open a grant on geothermal installations.

The grant will provide homeowners and commercial/industrial establishments alike, a $2,000 refund per ton of heating capacity. An average home requires about 4 tons of heating capacity.

Homeowners will be looking at an $8,000 refund on a new geothermal installation.

This is on top of the usual 30% federal tax credit that is available for qualifying geothermal heat pumps and high efficiency heating or cooling systems.

For official information on this grant please visit ctcleanenergy.com