Geothermal HVAC

If your are looking for a fluffy "green energy" book, or a hard core book with tons of calculations, this is not your book. But, if you want to understand whether or not this technology makes sense for your installation, Jay's book will be the best $60 or so you ever spend. It can save you thousands of dollars and keep your contractor on track. This book is the current bible on geothermal heating and cooling for those wanting to understand what makes sense and what doesn't. It is an excellent resource for an HVAC or plumbing professional trying to understand what is involved before screwing up their first installation, or to learn why the system they installed is not performing they way they want. Although some of the reviewers find Jay's style and examples to be too personal, all the stories of what went wrong, what went right, and what he has learned over decades in the business make for an easy reading but fact filled jewel for both a homeowner considering geothermal alternatives, and the professional looking for a leg up in a rapidly growing business. All too often tax credits create installers who tout a new technology, overcharge for it, and then disappear. Several years ago, I was lucky enough to bump into Bob Posch, an expert in the commercial HVAC. He lead me in the right direction before books like Jay's were available and kept me from making any major mistakes in my on geothermal heat pump installation. Jay's book clearly explains why my system works well and is my guide for two more installations in my home and that of my mother-in-law. Bottom line is: Whether you are a homeowner seeking answers or a contractor, experienced in geothermal installations or not, you well be very well-served by stopping what you are doing right now and ordering this book.

I recently became acquainted with Geothermal HVAC; a green, money saving technology and wanted to find out more. As we all know the internet can roughly explain anything to you, but I wanted a more detailed explanation before I even considered purchasing a system. I looked around to see if there was a simple book or website on the subject and I found "Geothermal HVAC, Green Heating and Cooling" by Jay Egg and Brian Howard Clark. This book told me everything that I wanted and needed to know. From the basics of what geothermal is, heat pumps and how they apply, ground loops (open and closed), load sharing, system efficiency, load calculations, reasonable prices, local and federal incentives, tax credits and rebates, project proposals and so much more. The book contained detailed descriptions as well as pictures and graphs. I was surprised by how easy the authors made the subject seem and thoroughly enjoyed their personal humor and anecdotes. I feel so much more comfortable about pursuing geothermal HVAC for my home after reading this book.

Note: make sure to read the comments to my review which confirm my review. I am a homeowner building a new home that will have a geothermal hvac system. I was excited to see a whole book dedicated to geothermal, and figured it would supplement my knowledge and give me some detailed information I am lacking. This book was such a disappointment that I am returning it,especially because it is expensive. I found myself frustrated at every turn, as the author mentions something important and then goes on to say, consult your geothermal engineer, or that is why you need a good installer, or it all depends, but giving no actual information. By the way, if he is so insistent that we hire a geothermal engineer, perhaps he should give info on where to find one, how much they charge, how they are educated etc. He just mentions it like everyone is doing that when in reality, very few residential projects have a geothermal engineer consulted. The author tells you at the outset that most systems are installed incorrectly yet gives minimal information on how to avoid an incorrect installation and what to look out for. The author likes to tell stories about his family and his childhood, which would not have bothered me, except in this case it does bother me because we are buying this book for real information which this book is lacking. The author seems to have an agenda, to promote geothermal and his own business. We should not be expected to pay for his advertising goals. I have literally read hundreds of books on building a home, as I will be acting as my own contractor, and have enough experience to know when someone is leaving out useful information on purpose. The book is geared to the regular homeowner, who wants to feel like they understand a little, but at the end of the day, will let the hvac contractor decide everything. I was shocked to not see any mention of a flow center, which is where the ground loops get tied together and distributed. This is a newer system than pump paks. Unfortunately, I do not know much about these terms, and thought this book would at least mention them and explain the benefits of each. We are also planning to use the heat pumps to heat hot water and there is no detail at all on how to set up the tanks, or what things to take into consideration. I would have expected to also see a comparison of grouting material choices for the vertical loops, information about whether to manifold inside or outside the home etc. Save your money, and your time, not worth the expense. PS added on 3/21 By the way, 2 of the reviewers, have the last name Egg, same as author, coincidental? How many others might be related without us knowing and passing off bogus reviews? If you think the author is not self promoting here is a quote from page 143: "My sales managers and CFO regularly chastise me for under quoting". It is sad that he sees the readers of his book as so gullible as to believe that comment. In the same paragraph the author tells us that ClimateMaster has spent millions of dollars in getting legislation passed (for the Federal Tax credit I presume) out of a passion for the technology, and that the president of ClimateMaster would give away the equipment if they could. I don't think ClimateMaster is a non-profit. The author also mentions that his co spent $823,000 on advertising in one year. Why this is relevant I do not know, but it certainly corroborates that this book is all about getting more business. How much is he overcharging customers to get back his almost a million dollars in advertising? Why can't he get enough business through referrals if he is so good? Lastly, the author mentions his religious values and dedication throughout the book. How is that relevant to HVAC? Or is it just a ploy to make the reader think he is "an honest, decent, and god fearing person who would never cheat you? Make no mistake, the author is treating you as a sales target, do not fall for it.

I wanted to know about geothermal, you know, pipes in the ground to help heat and cool my house. I never knew you could do your pool?! Why is this not everywhere? Also, I found out that my hot water can be tied in to this system. In the chapter on "Load Sharing", I saw how it is that all of the systems in a hotel can share energy. This is a brilliant technology.

The book is well written and informative, but not overly technical. It is targeted at people that are looking for enough information to be able to talk intelligently with their geothermal contactor. I was looking for a book to help with the designing of a DIY geothermal system, so this book wasn't technical enough for what I was looking for.

With all the information of a pamphlet offering the benefits of geothermal this book falls flat. Instead of technical information on sizing of systems the author suggests that you call a professional. An insult to hard cover nonfiction.