Geothermal in Concrete Home located in Pennsylvania. This is quote from the 40′ Ai dome owners, Mr. & Mrs. Charles: ““We live in the mountains of PA. The winters up here can be brutal. Our Ai Dome is a 40ft with Link on a 9″ thick livable basement. {Den, Office/Computer room, Kitchenette} The entire interior, to include the mechanical room, is heated and cooled by a GeoThermal, Water furnace, Radiant floor system. Our zone controllers are set on 74 degrees winter and summer. Our sole power source, at present, is the grid. Our costs per month range from $99 to a high of $120. We were amazed that our cost now are less than when we lived in a 14 by 73 ft mobile home while building the Dome. Our decision to build an American Ingenuity Dome home was the best decision we have ever made.”
Below are two items. The first is a photo gallery containing pics of the dome home. And at bottom of this page is a YouTube Video which contains some of the same pictures that are shown in the photo gallery. Hope you enjoy.
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The following is information provided by Mr. Charles, owner of above 40′ American Ingenuity dome built on a full basement in Pennsylvania. First floor of dome is 1,286 sq.ft. Second floor of the dome is 436 sq.ft. for total sq ft in dome of 1,722. The basement square footage is 1,291 making total dome and basement square footage of 3,013.
Our heating/cooling system is a GeoThermal WaterFurnace Synergy 3D and is rated at approx. four ton handling. We have two 500 foot geo loops that are 12 feet underground in a field by the dome. These fluid circulation loops are piped in and connected to the WaterFurnace and a fluid storage tank. The temperature in the loops stays at around 65 to 69 degrees. The system then calculates, by means of a Hydro Zone controller (mini computer), how many degrees more the fluid needs to be heated to keep the Dome at the temperatures set on each zone thermostat. We have three zones. Main floor zone set at 74, basement zone set at 72 and master bedroom/bathroom zone set at 73 year round. Loft area has no tubing but is never off more than four degrees from the main floor.
The Hydro Zone controller monitors interior and exterior temperature. It then calculates a tank set point. This set point varies based on exterior temperature and zone thermostat settings. The system then heats the fluid in the tank to that set point and circulates it through the radiant floor tubing. The tubing in the basement is in the concrete floor. the tubing on the main floor was laid down on top of the sub floor. then 3/4″ plywood was form cut to fit between the tubing. A 1/4 inch “luan” surface was installed on top of the tubing and plywood then flooring was installed. Walking on warm floors is absolutely great.
Our power bills this past winter (2013) ranged from $200 to $278 per month. As cold as it was (many days below zero) and the Dome being totally electric, we are happy with our Dome Home. Many people in this area were over $500 in total energy bills (Electric, propane, coal, fuel oil or combinations)
The Geo Thermal Water Furnace is reset in the summer to operate as a central air system through normal duct work in the Dome. In the summer our monthly power bills range from $99 to $120. the Dome is heated in the winter and cooled in the summer by the same system.
The completed system cost was approx. $27.000. In calculating per year cost against other types of systems this system will pay for itself in energy savings in 8 to 10 years.
Some time ago we had a bad storm and a big tree fell and broke the power lines. It was five days before our power was restored. We had a wood/coal stove put in the Dome as a backup heat source. On the first day we got a fire going and ran the stove for about five hours before bed and let it go out. The Dome stayed comfortable for about three one half to four days before we started the stove again. The outside temperatures were not real cold but a jacket was necessary.
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