I'm preparing to build a new house with lake source closed loop geothermal. I had planned to have natural gas backup for extra space and water heating but natural gas will not be available until 2020. Heating design load is down to 39,000btu/hr and the contactor says the pump will heat the entire house. We will have a masonry stove for auxiliary heat when we are there to start the fire. Any suggestions? Should I go ahead and install an oil boiler as well? This will require storage tank, chimney, and mechanical room space, not to mention $$$.

Just finishing a house in Michigan and have geo and natural gas. Can run the house on either and have compared. It is $7 per day to heat on natural gas and $9 to heat on geo. 20% difference....Had to have geo for AC so will just be using it for that in the summer.

I live in Willow, my backup is a Toyo boiler 138K btu @ 1 gal/hr. I had difficulties with my system (long story) so I installed the boiler. Due to the number of amps it takes to run a ground source system, the Toyotomi boiler is the best backup for frequent power outages. FYI, my ground source system ran without trouble all winter.
Mike

I might add, with an aquastat, the boiler system will turn on if your system temp becomes too low.

Building a 'Cabin'?

In-floor hydronic heat?

My suggestion is wait until natural gas is available, it is only two years, rt? Are you on the Kenai or Big Lake? Surely not Fairbanks.

In the interim, heat with one or two cheap electric water heater tank(s)

A masonry stove? Would need to know more infor about it, but if this is a weekend place it may take too long to heat to warm up those with cold toes.

I like a Blaze King 'King'. If you put up wood this spring, you might be able to burn it the next heating season.

WillowBilly has a nice Toyo hydronic unit that required two side-in-drect tanks to work in his system.

I had (still have in the shed) a nice 80k Quietside that heated domestic and in-floor without in-direct tanks. I only took it out when oil hit $4.50/gallon and in hind sight, I would have been better off leaving it in. But I learned a bit about geo and refrigeration in the meantime.

Buying an oil burner will incur significant up-front costs. And a geo system will have Major up-front costs that will not be re-couped if you will have gas.

The low-hanging fruit around these parts in the Spring and Fall is Solar Hot Air. In other words, build a trombe wall into your design. Perhaps use an air to water heat pump.

Have Fun!!

B in W

If you live in MEAland the off peak power option is no longer on the table. Saving $.10/kWh is the only way this pencils out for me. Also that option for the house expires when it is sold. If you have to have infloor, I would definitely look at the $1800 Toyo ($2800 w/ tank&install if you have a plumber do it) to get you by for 2 years. They are very easy to install
Mike

Why would you pay for 2 heating systems when you only need one? Maybe I am missing something....