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Sounds absoutely FRIGID to me!

~Besides, it's already cold and clammy down there, so why cool it?

OY VEY THAT IS FUNNY!

Yes I agree. The dehumidifier runs when the central A/C is not needed. In this area, in the spring and fall when there is no heating and no cooling running, the humidty becomes a problem.
 
There was an A/C in the basment window used when I cooked, B

Due to the air pollution in this area 95% of the population has post-nasal drip.

Fuel burning in nearly ever home and buildng (especially heavy-grade dirty fuel oils)in this area as opposed to many areas of Florida that rely more heavily on clean (at point of use) electricity and some natural gas contributes to dirty air.

Similarly so many here get sinusitis which becomes bronchitis which becomes pneumonia. Humidity control in fall and spring (to prevent mold growth) is also crucial to prevent this. An A/C simply does not run enough here to dehumidify during those times of the year.
 
May I remind you, Toggle,

My winter electricity bill runs to $700 and more. Even if I HAD and air-conditioner, I couldn't afford to run it.

Unfortunately I have a large collection of classic electronic equipment on the lower level that's being destroyed by humidity.

I'm just glad that I like things sultry and steamy upstairs!

-kevin
 
Sure it is.

Sadly, there's a certain amount of investment in equipment, fuel, and construction involved in installing a new heating system.

The more you invest, the more you might save -- eventually,.

I haven't ever come up with a cost-effective way to replace the electic heating with anything sufficiently more energy-efficient to pay off the investment in a reasonable time.

But I keep looking for a way . . .
 
Electric air-to-air heat pump.

If your electric heating is by way of forced air, install an electric air-to-air heat pump. Pretty-darned energy-efficient for the price. Besides by saving even $500.00 per month, it would pay for itself in about 3 years, or a bit less. Otherwise, try a pellet stove.

Import some Savannah summer,
Dave
 
Mitsubishi split system- Mr. Slim

Heat pump with no ducting required. UP to four inside rooms per one outside unit.

Said to run 50% faster in deep winter to extract more heat from outside air. (Translation: less need for resistance electric back up; it (backup) kicks in at a lower temperature, which is good!)

http://www.mrslim.com/
 
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
 
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/
 
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.
 
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*
 

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