I was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV. So was my father. His father started a water well drilling business in 1953, my father joined him in that business (post collage) in 1957.
In 1980, my father decided to build a house. We (meaning I) was sent to the property in order to drill two 800 foot deep 'wells', which were subsequently cased with 8" (ID) steel pipe, but not perforated. (There was a 1/2" plate on the bottom of the casing.)
After this, we filled the casing with water. (A fine test of one's skill at welding.) Then added a 2" galvanized "loop" inside the casing, which was then hooked in to a heat pump.
It was the single-most efficient "single family residence" HVAC system in the state.
We subsequently added hot-water recapture to the indoor AC units, in order to make the most of the heat "pulled" out of the house.
Dad also built the house with R-44 insulation in the walls, R-60 or so in the attic, and a white 'Spanish tile' roof.
The result, a power bill of around $100/mo for a 5000 sq ft home in the desert that was numbingly cold in the summer, and pleasantly warm in the winter. (It does get cold in LV.)
It helped that 40% of the square footage was basement (something else nobody in Las Vegas has, because it turns hard about 4 feet down.)
In 1980, my father decided to build a house. We (meaning I) was sent to the property in order to drill two 800 foot deep 'wells', which were subsequently cased with 8" (ID) steel pipe, but not perforated. (There was a 1/2" plate on the bottom of the casing.)
After this, we filled the casing with water. (A fine test of one's skill at welding.) Then added a 2" galvanized "loop" inside the casing, which was then hooked in to a heat pump.
It was the single-most efficient "single family residence" HVAC system in the state.
We subsequently added hot-water recapture to the indoor AC units, in order to make the most of the heat "pulled" out of the house.
Dad also built the house with R-44 insulation in the walls, R-60 or so in the attic, and a white 'Spanish tile' roof.
The result, a power bill of around $100/mo for a 5000 sq ft home in the desert that was numbingly cold in the summer, and pleasantly warm in the winter. (It does get cold in LV.)
It helped that 40% of the square footage was basement (something else nobody in Las Vegas has, because it turns hard about 4 feet down.)