You can cut your heating costs by using water from your well. Well-Connect from Terra Caloric offers a simple-to-install solution to high heating and air conditioning costs in rural areas. You can hire out the installation or do it yourself.

    "Do-it-yourself installation was a primary consideration in our design of the Well-Connect heat pump," says Chris Lehman, Terra Caloric. "Installation is much more like installing a washing machine than a conventional geothermal heat pump. It doesn't require any specialized tools, skills or knowledge."

    The Well-Connect heat pumps can be used as stand-alone units for cabins or small houses with or without ducts. They also work well in a hybrid system with conventional heating and air conditioning units. Unlike most hybrid systems, where the heat pump shuts down when the furnace kicks in, Well-Connect continues to operate.

    The heat pumps are available in 1.5-ton (18,000 btu's) or 2.5-ton (30,000 btu's) per hour models. The smaller model is priced at $5,893, while the larger model is priced at $6,611. Both qualify for the 30 percent federal tax credit.

    Unlike other geothermal systems, the Well-Connect requires no in-ground loops. It uses well water at a rate of about 2 gal. per min. Outflow water is returned to the exterior soils.

    "For a stand-alone system, it is simply hose for water in, hose for water out, plug it in and adjust the thermostat," says Lehman. "Of course, you have to consider water supply, discharge details, ducting, etc. We are here to walk our users through any questions."

    Lehman reports no problems with the discharge system, even in Michigan winters. "As long as they are installed at a slight angle with an air gap at the end, they drain out when the unit shuts off," he says. "We've operated them in about every scenario without a problem."

    Most installations are completed in a day's time. Well-Connect heat pumps require 220-volt power in addition to the supply and discharge water lines. The company estimates professional installation costs range from $1,500 to $2,500 depending on ducts or no ducts and other costs.  A do-it-yourself installation typically requires from $300 to $700 in materials.

     "During a typical upper Midwest heating season, our smaller model will provide about 80 million btu's, offsetting about 1,000 gal. of propane burned in a 90 percent efficient furnace," says Lehman. "Our larger capacity unit will provide more than 130 million btu's, offsetting more than 1,600 gal. of propane."

    Depending on local rates, he estimates a heating cost reduction of between 50 and 70 percent from propane costs.  Lehman estimates a 75 percent reduction from electric baseboard heating costs. The same system in both models provides efficient air conditioning in the summer.

    "We've had our heat pumps operating in Michigan homes for more than 5 years now, and the performance and owner satisfaction has been overwhelmingly positive," says Lehman. "As we've begun expanding our market beyond Michigan, we've found that do-it-yourselfers are vital to getting our machines out to new areas."