So hard to predict, but a thorough check could be up to $200 in my area.
J

If it’s functioning fine leave it alone. The annual cost for maintenance should be zero, aside from filters.

Establish a baseline for energy use in your home (those months where neither heating or A/C are used). The increase in energy usage in all other months is primarily either heating or cooling. If your usage hasn’t skyrocketed and the backup is on inordinately, everything should be OK and you do not likely need any service beyond changing filters.

That being said, perhaps every 4 or 5 years you should have the chemistry of the fluids in the ground loops verified. That would be a good time for a complete inspection as well.

IMO

SR

Backup is NOT on inordinately...

I think it would be worthwhile to havethe check-up company help establish some baselines for you.
You might ask them to fill in some of the blanks on the troubleshooters check list (EWT/LWT...EAT/LAT....).
That would better prepare you for self monitoring.
Whether you choose to follow every year with check-ups (that include the crystal balls of capacitor tests and amp reads) is up to you.
I ran a call yesterday where a customer didn't recognize that his thermostat was on Em Heat instead of heat. Some one must have adjusted it for him at Xmas. Cost of not noticing (being unfamiliar with the thermostat), $600.
j

Thanks guys, i'm new to the GeoThermal world and just discovered this site so i'm trying to read thru as best as i can. 

The basics about the system is i have HydroHeat Mega Tek.  The system was originally hooked up to a non functioning Hot water heater.  When we had the water treatment system installed, the installing tech said that the hot water heater was not a necessary heating component for the Geo system, and DHW in/out line was closed off with no hot water heater feeding the Geo System.  My concern is there is now no waterline feeding the Geo system, is that normal?  We already had another HWH installed, a GeoSpring unit, and with how hard the water is in my area, If we need to have it hooked up to a HWH, i'd sooner get a standard unit just for the Geo System. 

From what i was told the Unit is doing all of the heating itself, its producing good heat, but now after reading here i'm sure its eating up KW's  Also I'm similar to your customer from yesterday as the only way the heater is working now is thru the Emergency Heating function. 

I apologize with being so novice to the technology, but i'm trying to catch up as best as i can, and want to make this system as efficent as possible.  This site is like going into a Advanced Calculus course after finishing up basic math 

We found a local tech after some searching and we'll be contacting him to get tests done, but the better i'm prepared in what i should have done before him coming out the better i'll feel with the retrofit costs involved.  .

Ummm,
Not sure softener guy was best source of heat pump knowledge.
Your system may have once heated potable water by priority and as those systems were trainwrecks it may have been removed from the task.
I am concerned about closed valves that may have water trapped in a heat exchanger with no place to go.
I also am concerned if you are heating exclusively with aux. coil.
I think we are beyond remote advice.
Get a tech in.
Please keep us posted and see if he will fill in the blanks on the troubleshooters check list.
J

Yup, with this new disclosure of info I’m with Joe. Get in an experienced tech to check everything out and to provide a written, detailed, baseline for future reference.

SR

Who'da thunk it, a Plumber not being the best HVAC guy lol.  He's a buddy's dad, and he had someone at his work go over the setup, though in the end i'm not comfortable with the GeoSystem side, the water treatment was great.  Have a local company coming out next week, they were the original installers so they knew the system luckily.  Thanks for the advice, and i'll make sure i get the checklist

keep us posted
j

Posted By fsq4cw on 10 Mar 2011 10:47 AM
If it’s functioning fine leave it alone. The annual cost for maintenance should be zero, aside from filters.

I pretty much agree. It might be worth it to get the system checked out once, since your unfamiliar with it.  I don't think it's necessary to get yearly maintenance on a geothermal system. You should be familiar enough with the system to replace the filters and know if the system is running correctly. Personally I write the date on the filters when I replaced them, and check it periodically to check the system to see if the lights indicate any failure/fault. You shouldn't have to touch a new system (excluding air filters) for the first 3 or 4 years of ownership, getting it checked every 2 or 3 years after that may be beneficial, with more frequent checkups as the system ages.

Also another note on filters, when you remove an old filter and look at it, it will much likely look white still. Replace it anyway, it's only when you compare it to a new filter that you see it's off-white. This is what you want. If it's any dirtier than that, replace your filters more often. Once the filter gets too dirty, it starts to clog and the system will begin to pull the trapped dirt through the filter and into your system.        

Had a technician come thru yesterday. I had two separate issues, no refrigerant because of a faulty schrader valve, and a bad connection on the board connecting to my thermostat. Quick fix for both, system started right up. Since i'm not planning on using the hot water from the system, the switch to dump the water into a hot water heater was turned off. They're going to send me out all the information about the orig install, and specifics of the system but I'm pleased to say we're back up and running. Next up is to start tracking the efficiency of the unit. Pricing wise you guys were right in line $205, 95 for the trip out, and 95 hourly with the cost of the valve/refrigerant.

What it the valves or the caps?  I had itty-bitty OEM caps compared to the replacement caps. The tech said the O-rings deform, I think he just over torqued them the at the last PM done in Nov 2010.  I was 3pds light on refri and aux was kicking in.  This was back in Dec 2010. 
$226 Dec 2010 total electric bill and a cold/windy month in Metro DC.
$185 for Jan 2011
$135 for Feb 2011
Meter read on 2-3rd of each month.

CH

It was the actual valve. They gave me the valve to keep, its like a miniature bicycle tire valve, where the rubber ring had deformed/disintegrated. I wont know about my savings because we're new and the first true month we were in the house we were running off Eheat. I guess now i'll get to see the cooling aspects as it warms up

Posted By CHuntMD on 15 Mar 2011 12:02 PM
What it the valves or the caps?  I had itty-bitty OEM caps compared to the replacement caps. The tech said the O-rings deform, I think he just over torqued them the at the last PM done in Nov 2010. 
CH

This is why geo pros tend to avoid the refrigeration side until all other possibilities are exhausted. One should not go there in PM check or start-up unless trouble is indicated.
j

"This is why geo pros tend to avoid the refrigeration side until all other possibilities are exhausted. One should not go there in PM check or start-up unless trouble is indicated." ... or unless the system is DX. SR

"This is why geo pros tend to avoid the refrigeration side until all other possibilities are exhausted. One should not go there in PM check or start-up unless trouble is indicated." ... or unless the system is DX. SR

Posted By fsq4cw on 16 Mar 2011 09:49 AM
... or unless the system is DX. SR

My Earthlinked trainer specifically told me to leave the gauge manifold in the truck till all else was ruled out. Further they have sight glasses on their system that permit view of the ref. level without risk of contamination or refrigerant loss.

What DX system has suggested to you that you check refrigerant side first?

J 

As opposed to a liquid system, a DX system is mechanically virtually nothing but refrigeration other than the blower.

There exists for (only) the Nordic DX GSHP a computerized analyzer that simultaneously measures virtually every parameter of the HP & ground loops. This enables the tech to monitor EACH of the boreholes, optimize the machine, and balance the ground loops real time. I know of no other system that does this. If there is a problem with one of the boreholes, it is found and isolated before the tech ever leaves the mechanical room and before a shovel ever goes in the ground.

I will say this up front, that it is my personal and biased opinion, based on my experience and training, that Nordic is the best DX system available today. That does not mean, however, that one cannot have complete satisfaction with other brands – properly installed!

SR

Blower, filter, fan coil, aux. heat, thermostat.
It is true Earthlinked is different than Nordic. But one does not start with the gauges. One checks for power, call for heat etc. first.
Not trying to pick a fight with you, but I would tell homeowners who watch this site to question a technician who started with the gauges on their DX system as well. Not just water source.
j