Common Questions:
Geothermal
How do geothermal heat pumps work?What is the technical geothermal heat pump process?
How is installing a geothermal heat pump in an existing home different than new construction?
I have a small yard, can I install a geothermal heat pump?
Is it going to tear up my whole yard?
Do the costs to repair the landscaping qualify for the tax credit?
How much can I expect to save?
How long does it take to install?
Can you install it all year round?
Will this system add value to my home?
How long will a geothermal system last?
What sort of electrical upgrades are necessary when installing a geothermal heat pump?
How do you normally size a geothermal system for an existing home?
Is it true that geothermal heat pump systems have the lowest impact on the environment?
What is the fluid used in the pipes?
What is the warranty of Bryant Geothermal systems installed by Uptown HCR?
Heating
I would like to replace my boiler, but it’s the middle of winter. Won’t my house freeze up while they are working on the replacement?Are high efficiency boilers more expensive to maintain?
I have a large radiator in my kitchen; can I eliminate it or use something smaller?
Can I replace my existing radiators with smaller radiators?
During the heating season the top floor of my house gets too hot, what can I do?
I think my boiler is covered with asbestos, who handles that?
I do not know how old my water heater is but does it make sense to replace it at the same time as the boiler.
What about in floor heat, can that be ran off of my existing boiler?
Right now the boiler is sitting in the middle of the basement, can you move it to a more convenient location?
I am thinking of remodeling my basement and the old heating pipes hang really low in the basement. Can you do anything about that?
I am thinking of remodeling my basement and the old heating pipes hang really low in the basement. Can you do anything about that?
Air Conditioning
I have a home with radiators, what sort of air conditioning options do I have?If I install air conditioning, does that mean I am going to have large ductwork running all over my house?
I have heard that small duct systems like the Unico System are noisy, is that true?
Solar
Do we get enough sun for solar to work in Minnesota?How much does it cost?
How much will I save with a solar hot water heater?
What's the warranty on the panels?
What if my panels are damaged in a storm?
Do you offer solar electric and solar hot water panels?
Can I use solar hot water panel to heat my home?
How do geothermal heat pumps work?
Geothermal heat pumps simply transfer energy, in the form of heat, between your home and the earth. 10 feet below the surface of the earth in Minnesota the temperature is 47 degrees consistently throughout the year. In the basement of your home we install the geothermal heat pump that ties into your existing heating and cooling system and circulates water through the piping that is buried deep underground. During the summer the heat pump extracts heat from inside of the house using the existing air conditioning system and stores it in the earth through the underground piping. During the winter the process reverses. The geothermal heat pump extracts the heat from the earth and transfers it into your existing heating system (furnace or boiler).
What is the technical geothermal heat pump process?
The heat pump moves heat from a low temperature source to a high temperature source. The process of elevating low temperature heat to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and transferring it indoors involves a cycle of evaporation, compression, condensation and expansion. A refrigerant is used as the heat transfer medium which circulates within the heat pump. The cycle geotops as the cold liquid refrigerant passes through a heat exchanger (evaporator) and absorbs heat from the low temperature source (liquid from the ground loop). The refrigerant evaporates into a gas as heat is absorbed. The gaseous refrigerant then passes through a compressor where the refrigerant is pressurized, raising its temperature to over 160 F. The hot gas then circulates through a refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger where heat is removed and pumped into the home at about 100 F. The refrigerant changes back to a liquid when it uses its heat. The liquid is cooled as it passes through an expansion valve and begins the process again. To air condition, the flow is reversed.
How is installing a geothermal heat pump in an existing home different than new construction?
The heat pump moves heat from a low temperature source to a high temperature source. The process of elevating low temperature heat to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and transferring it indoors involves a cycle of evaporation, compression, condensation and expansion. A refrigerant is used as the heat transfer medium which circulates within the heat pump. The cycle geotops as the cold liquid refrigerant passes through a heat exchanger (evaporator) and absorbs heat from the low temperature source (liquid from the ground loop). The refrigerant evaporates into a gas as heat is absorbed. The gaseous refrigerant then passes through a compressor where the refrigerant is pressurized, raising its temperature to over 160 F. The hot gas then circulates through a refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger where heat is removed and pumped into the home at about 100 F. The refrigerant changes back to a liquid when it uses its heat. The liquid is cooled as it passes through an expansion valve and begins the process again. To air condition, the flow is reversed.
I have a small yard; can I install a geothermal heat pump?
We are used to making geothermal work on small city lots. Often times we have found solutions for homes that other contractors said were not possible. We like to tell customers that if you can find a space big enough to park a car on, we can give you geothermal.
Is it going to tear up my whole yard?
We normally tell customers that we are going to make a big mess in a small area. Thanks to directional boring technology we can drill your vertical wells anywhere on your property and then connect them to your mechanical room by boring horizontally from the vertical wells under your lawn and pop up into your mechanical room. We work with the customer to find an area on their property that works good for drilling the geothermal wells and is convenient for the homeowner.
Do the costs to repair the landscaping qualify for the tax credit?
Yes, but we always recommend that you verify any government incentive with your tax preparer.
How much can I expect to save?
Before we begin any geothermal project we give the homeowner reasonable expectations of what their savings will be. There are 3 main factors that determine cost savings; the type of you’re you are currently using to heat your home, the cost of electricity to operate the geothermal heat pump, and how large the current utility bill is. Many consumers have heard claims of savings up to 75 or 80%. These numbers usually come from homes that were being heated with propane, fuel oil, or with electric resistance, prior to the geothermal installion. Most of the homes in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area use natural gas to heat their home. In a home with a natural gas furnace or boiler it is reasonable to estimate a reduction in the cost to heat and cool their home of 50%.
How long does it take to install?
It for an average three bedroom house it normally takes a week to do all of the work in the mechanical room and another week to perform all of work outside of the house.
Can you install it all year round?
All of the work inside of the house can be installed year round; the outside work normally geotops in early April and goes into November.
What is the warranty of Bryant systems installed by Uptown Heating Cooling and Renewable Energy?
Residential Installations:
2 years - parts
5 years - refrigeration components
Lifetime - heat exchanger
Commercial Installations:
1 year - parts
5 years - refrigeration components
Is it true that geothermal heat pump systems have the lowest impact on the environment?
Yes. Heat pumps have a very low impact on the environment. Heat pumps only move heat from one place to another and consume only a small fraction of energy that is generated.
How long will a geothermal system last?
Independent tests show a useful life span of over 200 years. All of the underground piping is a high-density polyethylene pipe and has a 50-year warranty. All of the underground piping is joined with a special process called heat fusion. Heat fusion connections are stronger than the pipe itself.
What is the fluid used in the pipes?
We use a propylene glycol antifreeze solution. This heat transferring solution is mixed with water to protect the system from freezing. Propylene glycol is environmentally friendly and pet safe.
Will this system add value to my home?
Yes, geothermal heating and cooling systems add significant value to home.
How do you normally size a geothermal system for an existing home?
Yes, Heat pumps can provide 100 percent of your heating and cooling requirements, but it is normally not very cost effective to try to cover 100% of your heating needs in Minnesota. If you try to cover 100% of your heating needs in Minnesota, you have to build a system large enough to meet your heating needs when the temperature drops to -12degrees, even though we average less than ?? number of hours per year at that temperature or below. We normally recommend sizing a system to covering about 75-90% of your heating load with Geo and the rest of it we cover with a natural gas back-up. Having a natural gas back up allows you to qualify for a “Dual-Fuel” electrical rate from the utility companies that’s normally 50% of that standard rate.
What sort of electrical upgrades are necessary when installing a geothermal heat pump?
Normally, we recommend installing a separate “dual fuel” electrical meter. This meter allows the homeowner to qualify for special utility rate discounts. These discounts are normally around 50% of the standard rate, so the savings are significant. The cost of the meter is normally recouped in the first year of savings.
I would like to replace my boiler, but it’s the middle of winter. Won’t my house freeze up while they are working on the replacement?
We are able to replace the boiler or make any other major changes to your heating system on the coldest day of winter without your house dropping below 65 degrees. Because we specialize in this type of work, and most of it is performed during the winter, we have developed a variety of different techniques to ensure you stay warm and comfortable during the entire operation.
Are high efficiency boilers more expensive to maintain?
The high efficiency boilers that we recommend have been proven reliable and require the same amount of annual maintenance as a standard efficiency boiler. We believe in them so much we put them in our own homes. There are some lower quality boilers on the market that require more in-depth and expensive annual maintenance to maintain their warranty. We recommend avoiding these boilers.
I have a large radiator in my kitchen; can I eliminate it or use something smaller?
Yes. This is a very common problem with kitchens built before 1940. We have a variety of options available, but the most common solution is a toe kick heater. Toe kick heaters are installed under the kitchen cabinets and have a fan that blows air across a hot water coil out into the kitchen. One small toe kick heater can easily warm an average kitchen. For pictures of toe kick heaters and other options (link to heating units page).
Can I replace my existing radiators with smaller radiators?
Yes, we have a variety of different solutions. Sometimes they are a direct replacement and sometimes we have to modify the piping system to accommodate the change (link to heating units page).
During the heating season the top floor of my house gets too hot, what can I do?
This is very common in a four square home, and even more prevalent in homes with a 3rd floor. We normally recommend zoning each floor separately to eliminate this problem. For more information on zoning (link to 4.7 page).
I think my boiler is covered with asbestos, who handles that?
If your boiler was installed before 1970 it is very likely that it has some form of asbestos on it. All asbestos abatement is required by law to be handled by a licensed asbestos abatement contractor. We are not licensed in this area, but are always happy to recommend licensed contractors who is.
I do not know how old my water heater is but does it make sense to replace it at the same time as the boiler.
It is very common to replace the hot water heater at the same time as the boiler, this gives the home owner the piece of mind that all of their mechanicals are brand new and also saves them money by installing them both at the same time. (Link to water heater page)
What about in floor heat, can that be ran off of my existing boiler?
In most cases, yes. The most common places for us to install in floor heat is bathrooms, kitchens and mudrooms. We can even install in floor heat under existing hardwood flooring.
Right now the boiler is sitting in the middle of the basement, can you move it to a more convenient location?
We do this all the time. Thanks to new boiler technology we are able to vent the boiler direct out the side of the house rather than the chimney. This allows us to move the boiler anywhere the home owner wants it. Often times we are able to consolidate the boiler and water heater in the laundry room or a small closet, freeing up a large amount of space in the basement.
I am thinking of remodeling my basement and the old heating pipes hang really low in the basement. Can you do anything about that?
Yes, we can remove the old pipes and install new flexible pex piping in the joist space. This can free up over 12” of vertical head room in a basement. (link to basement modifications)
I have a home with radiators, what sort of air conditioning options do I have?
In a home without a traditional duct system, such as a home with radiators, we have two options; The Unico System and Mini – Split air conditioners. (link to 3.0 AC page)
If I install air conditioning, does that mean I am going to have large ductwork running all over my house?
No – the Unico System is designed to fit where other systems can’t. The flexible ducts can be routed through existing cavities in ceilings, walls or floors. The modular air handlers and coils can be easily installed into ceilings, crawlspaces or closets. (link to 3.0 AC page)
I have heard that small duct systems like the Unico System are noisy, is that true?
If the system is properly installed, it should be whisper quiet. Our installations are so quiet that most of the time our customers have to hold their hand next to the outlet in order to tell if the system is on or not. Some contractors try to cut corners and use fewer outlets than specified or they try to use cheap ductwork that was not designed to use with a small duct system.
Do we get enough sun for solar to work in Minnesota?
Yes it does. It works great! Minnesota has as much sunshine as many parts of California, Florida and Texas. And by the way, have you noticed how much corn gets grown around here? Corn needs lots and lots of sun.
How much does it cost?
An average residential solar hot water heater is an investment of around $11,000, federal and state incentive programs can reduce that initial investment by up to 45%. (Link to government incentives page)
How much will I save with a solar hot water heater?
An average residential solar hot water heater will supply about 75% of the hot water needs for the average family.
What's the warranty on the panels?
Solar hot water panels come with a 10 year warranty and have a useful life of 30 – 40 years.
What if my panels are damaged in a storm?
The panels are designed to withstand soft ball sized hail and 100 MPH winds. If you are experiencing weather more extreme than these design conditions, you have bigger issues to worry about than your solar panels. In a situation like that your home owner’s insurance would could the damage to the solar panels.
Do you offer solar electric and solar hot water panels?
No. At this time we only offer solar hot water panels.
Can I use solar hot water panel to heat my home?
Yes, but the applications are slightly limited.