Installation FAQ
Q: What if I don’t currently have ductwork in my home?
A: In this case, a ‘self-ducted’ version of the system can be installed. Specifically, duct work is added to your home to supply heating and cooling from the Well-Connect. Typically 1 or 2 supply runs and 1 return run is all that is needed.
Another option is to install the Well-Connect as a ductless, free-standing, setup.
A quick visit to your home will allow our installers to determine if these options will work for you.
Q. Can a Well-Connect be installed during the winter months?
A: Yes. It can be installed any day of the year.
Q. What do you have to do to my well?
A: Nothing. All of the installation is within the home, except for the discharge line. We simply tap into the existing water line in your home.
Q. What model Well-Connect is best for my house?
Well-Connect is available in 2 sizes. The smaller model has a nominal heating and cooling capacity of 18,000 BTU/hr and needs 2 gallons per minute of water flow. The larger model has a nominal capacity of 30,000 BTU/hr and needs 3.5 gpm of water flow.
Every home is unique and has its own specific heat loss/ heat gain profile. How much heat leaves a house each hour during the heating season and how much heat enters that house each hour during the cooling season is determined by two factors: the outdoor air temperature and the construction features of the house. The outdoor air temp is easily determined, but the construction envelope of a house can vary widely based on age, square footage, orientation, insulation values, number and type of windows, etc. Sizing a specific heating or cooling system for a specific house requires a detailed heat loss/heat gain calculation that analyzes all of those variables for the house in question.
The Well-Connect Hybrid application is designed to provide the vast majority (>80%) of the heat needed by a house, with the existing heating system providing supplemental heat only as needed to maintain the setpoint temperature during conditions when the heat loss of the structure exceeds the Well-Connect capacity. That might occur when it is 30 degrees and very windy or 20 degrees and less windy. This “balance point” will be different for every home, but real-world experience has provided some averages that can be helpful in selecting the best Well-Connect for a given home.
Structures of 1500 sq. feet or less will generally see the best results using the smaller Well-Connect, while homes larger than 2500 sq. feet are usually best served by the larger model. Homes between 1500 and 2500 sq. feet can go either way, with the choice mainly influenced by construction details of the home, or well-water and/or discharge water considerations.
Most Well-Connect Hybrid systems set at 70°F begin calling for some supplemental heat input when the outdoor temperature drops into the 25°F to 30°F range. In the Upper Midwest region, it is above 30°F during 76% of the heating season hours and below 25°F for just 15% of the season. Keep in mind, unlike air source heat pumps, a Well-Connect still operates at full efficiency and capacity even when outdoor air temperatures are well below 0°F. Further, the Well-Connect patented hybrid system allows the Well-Connect to continue operating when it requires supplemental heat from the furnace - this maximizes your savings.