Another Appliance Up In Flames

[toggleswitch]

So Dave's idea is great if you have ducts.....mine work if they are lacking.

 

[selectomatic]

If I had air ducts,

We wouldn't be having this discussion. Unfortunately, I've got no air ducts, I've got 7' ceilings downstairs, I don't have any gas tank or service, and I have a house which has two levels with sufficiently different floorplans that routing things up and down is a challenge.

I also have enough windows and doorways that there's not a lot of wall space left for both furniture and heat

I'll look into the in-wall individual furnaces, but I'm wondering whether A) they meet all applicible codes here, and B) they'd produce enough heat (especially given that they'd reduce the amount of insulated wall protecting me from outside).

I'm checking out Toggleswitch's suggestions, though.

-kevin

 

[toggleswitch]

Save your insulation!

Wall-furnaces can be surface-mounted (i.e. not recessed) with a flue extender kit.

 

[volvoguy87]

Unico

There is a ductwork system called Unico which consists of lots of small-diameter flexable insulated ducts. The advantage of Unico is that the ducts can be snaked through existing walls and the vents are small and unobtrusive. I'm in the historic preservation business and Unico systems are popular in my field because you don't need to tear up a bunch of plaster or build plenums. If you have an attic, put the air handler up there and use Unico or conventional ductwork to vent into the upper story through the ceiling. For the lower story, snake Unico ducts down the walls.
An electric air-to-air heat pump would likely be less expensive to operate than a gas or oil furnace. A Mitsubishi Mr. Slim is also known as a "ductless" air conditioner, and they can have heat pump capabilities. There are other manufacturers of ductless AC units, but Mitsubishi is one of the more common ones. A ductless AC unit works just like a window AC unit split in two. In a ductless unit, the compressor is outside, but the evaporator coils and blower are inside some distence away. The two components are connected via refrigerant lines which can be hidden. Look into doing something, and soon! Your electric bills sound unbearable!

Keep warm,
Dave

http://www.unicosystem.com/

 

[toggleswitch]

Soemtimes you have to give up your closet for cheaper heat..

~if you have an attic, put the air handler up there and use Unico or conventional ductwork to vent into the upper story through the ceiling.

and to this I add:

It is IMERATIVE to have a cool-air return as low as possible in the house to avoid stratification. (Warm air near ceiling cold floors). Heat is best delivered from floor level, cooling from ceiling level. But this will do (top supply, bottom return) in a pinch.

I had central air put in off-season (when there was nothing there before- even ducts) for $4,500. It has an air-handler in the attic and vents at the ceiling. Perhaps the cost of changing a central air unit (in your order) to a heat pump won't bump this up too much. Perhaps a side-wall vented propane furnace is in order. (Even these go in attics now in some locations)

Of course my ducts are flexible, insulated ducts rather than rigid ones, but so far so good.

My price included a more "top-shelf" Trane brand unit, BTW.
If you have the flexibility I recommend a variable-speed/ two-speed air handler and similar-featured outside unit as well.

 

[toggleswitch]

in FL they think 40*F is deathly cold. Here, that is conside

~An electric air-to-air heat pump would likely be less expensive to operate than a gas or oil furnace.

Depends on your rates and climate, but in genral, probably not north of the Mason-dixon line, and certianly not cheaper than fossil fuels unless your supply of electric is hydro-electric.

Too much of the time it would be defaulting to resitance electric anyway (at below 25*F) in Selecotmatic's climate.
At 25*f to 15*f the compressor and the straight reistance coils work. below 15*F andd the striaght reistsace is running solo.

Below 15*f and it susually the straight resistacne only.

True story: Tampa Bay, FL area:
It was 50*f outside a lovely spring-like temp. The locals were in snow boots, coats gloves and scarves. No kidding! The restaurant /barI was in had electic space heaters going to supplemetn the ceiling vents supplying heat. Waitress was in shorts. OK I had to ask. Excuse me but what's upwith that? "Oh, I'm from Michigan and it rarely goes above 65*F there so to me this is warm to them they are frozen." OY VEY! *LOL*