A GEOTHERMAL INSTALLER CLIENTS HAVE CONFIDENCE IN
Client Spotlight: The Cockwells – The Green Schoolhouse
Steve and Heather Cockwell live in a 100-year-old former schoolhouse, completely renovated into a two-storey fully brick home.
In an interview, Steve Cockwell talks about the experience of installing a geothermal system.
Why were you interested in going geothermal?
Our previous oil furnace was working fine and, in fact, we had a top-notch system. But, we wanted to get away from what I’ll call ‘volatile’ types of technology in terms of supply as well as price. Our question was ‘are these technologies sustainable over the long term and are they reliable?’ That was our concern. So, we started looking around for alternatives.
What concerns did you have with converting to geothermal heating?
I didn’t have too many concerns as I had done some research. I attended one of Quest Geothermal’s seminars and asked their technical staff about one issue I didn’t understand. I asked them about how pulling cooler water from the ground and heating it would be efficient and how efficient this would be. Quest explained how this process works so that helped me. My other question was about whether or not I could plant trees or build anything (like a shed) on top of where the ‘loops’ are installed. Quest assured me this could be done as long as I didn’t completely cover over the area where the loops are. Those were my main questions and Quest provided clear answers.
What kind of loop was installed and why did you choose that type?
We installed a water-to-water system with a horizontal loop. We chose a five-ton Tranquility™ unit.
Did your home or property offer any distinct challenges?
Our home had a pre-existing radiant floor heating system for all the floors and this system was complex and antiquated. During the geothermal installation, I upgraded the valves and controllers and the Quest technicians integrated their system with that. Quest was easy to work with and eager to make the integration of the two systems as seamless as possible.
Did you find the in-home consultation helpful in making a decision?
Yes, Quest’s staff answered all our questions and they spent quite a bit of time with us explaining how geothermal works and the various options available. We contacted a few other companies to get quotes and compare services. I found Quest to be more credible and knowledgeable about geothermal, particularly from an engineering perspective. I got the sense that geothermal wasn’t just a part of what they did, it was their specialty. Quest also had a better price for what we needed. Our cost to install geothermal with Quest was competitive versus the geothermal installation costs of competitors.
Did the installation meet your expectation?
Yes. Everything went smoothly. The geothermal installation happened in November 2009 and the whole job was completed in about two weeks. Quest kept me informed about what would happen and when.
Would you recommend Quest Geothermal to your friends?
Yes, I would. Quest definitely knows their stuff. They are a very professional geothermal company.
