The Actual Cost of a Geothermal System

It's no surprise that when Gary Eschenburg (the owner of Ground Source Contractors) built his family's new house in 2008, he installed a geothermal heating and cooling system. And to demonstrate the money-saving benefits of the system, he decided to monitor his electricity usage and post the information on this web page each month.

Gary explains:

"Our 3,500 square foot home is heated and cooled using geothermal heat pumps. Not only is the house being heated and cooled (to 72 degrees for cooling and 70 degrees for heating), but our two-and-a-half car garage is maintained at 40 degrees, and the pad in front of the garage has radiant tubing for snow melt — all done by the geothermal system. Our electric water heater is connected to the geothermal system, too, so that as the system heats and cools the house, it also produces free hot water.

"I've installed a product called The Energy Detective to monitor the electric use of the geothermal systems and the water heater, so the numbers you see here reflect the actual monthly cost of heating and cooling my home, and producing my hot water." 		     





 HEATINGCOOLINGHOT WATERTOTALNOTES
kWhCOSTkWhCOSTkWhCOSTkWhCOST
Apr 2009935$149.340$0.00209$33.381,144$182.72 
May 2009478$76.96136$21.90186$29.95800$128.81SEE NOTE
Jun 2009707$115.95403$66.09234$38.381,344$220.42 
Jul 2009511$83.80610$100.04210$34.441,331$218.28SEE NOTE
Aug 2009601$96.76809$130.25191$30.751,601$257.76 
Sep 2009655$105.46129$20.77246$39.611,030$165.84SEE NOTE
Oct 20091,058$169.2837$5.92153$24.481,248$199.68 
Nov 20091,026$164.130$0.0020$3.181,046$167.31 
Dec 2009833$149.940$0.00153$27.54986$177.48SEE NOTE
Jan 20101,703$308.240$0.00141$25.521,844$333.76 
Feb 20101,356$249.500$0.00166$30.541,522$280.04 


Heating kWh

1703 
0 
9354787075116016551058102683317031356
AprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanFeb


Heating Cost

$308.24 
$0.00 
$149.34$76.96$115.95$83.80$96.76$105.46$169.28$164.13$149.94$308.24$249.50
AprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanFeb


Cooling kWh

809 
0 
0136403610809129370000
AprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanFeb


Hot Water kWh

246 
0 
20918623421019124615320153141166
AprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanFeb


Cooling Cost

$130.25 
$0.00 
$0.00$21.90$66.09$100.04$130.25$20.77$5.92$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
AprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanFeb


Hot Water Cost

$39.61 
$0.00 
$33.38$29.95$38.38$34.44$30.75$39.61$24.48$3.18$27.54$25.52$30.54
AprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanFeb


Total kWh

1844 
0 
114480013441331160110301248104698618441522
AprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanFeb


Total Cost

$333.76 
$0.00 
$182.72$128.81$220.42$218.28$257.76$165.84$199.68$167.31$177.48$333.76$280.04
AprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanFeb