I am remodeling a basement in a 1920s vintage bungalow in Minnesota. The first and second floors are hot water heated. I am trying to decide how the heat a living space without going to the expense of a second boiler. The cost effective options seem to be between electric baseboards and oil filled radiators.
What are the pros and cons of each (aside from the fact that neither are the most energy efficient approach to take)?
Thanks
Replies
Oiled filled radiators are mostly bogus. All electric resistance heating is equally efficient -- the oil-filled units just warm up/cool down a little more slowly due to their "thermal mass".
The main thing, if you're going to have to use electric resistance heating, is to insulate the hell out of things, and be very diligent about sealing air leaks.
And, of course, you need an electrical system that can handle the additional load.
Are you certain the existing boiler doesn't have the capacity to heat the new space?
Jerry
Chances are 99 to 1 that your existing boiler has plenty of "zip" to pick up the basement, which being mostly below grade is not usually a large heating load compared to the rest of the house. I would look into that option first.
Heating with resistence electric heat (i.e. baseboards) in your area will cost you 30 to 40% more than using natural gas.
One thing you must consider when deciding if your present boiler is big enough to handle more heating space, is the type of radiator and piping system you have on the upper two floors.
If you have a 1920s vintage piping and radiator system with a huge water capacity in the pipes and radiators, you may already be taxing the boiler. At the time the house was built, they put in huge boilers because fuel was cheap. Somewhere along the line, they ususally put in a newer and much smaller boiler.
What I have often seen, is that there is so much cool water in the system that it takes a smaller boiler forever to heat it up to a temperature where you actually get some heat out of the radiators.
Adding more water to the heating system could really cause you trouble if you are in the situation I described.
I may be wrong on this, but my understanding is that since the boiler expantion tank is between the floor joists in the basement ceiling, that a second boiler would be required to pump hot water to radiators on the basement floor.
I had an expansion tank where you do, and we had radiators in the basement. What you have to watch for is that any pipe cannot change direction more than once. As long as you can come off of some supply and return, I think you will be fine.But you might try over at:http://www.heatinghelp.com
Actually, electric heat is 100% efficient. Expensive maybe but 100% efficient. You get all the heat you pay for. No heat going up a chimney. Nada.
I can't say I like electric heat though out here on Vancouver Island BC (and apparently only in BC) electricity is reasonably priced.
If you are re doing your basement I would insulate it anyways as though you are doing electric heat after all it is your money that you are saving. One good thing about electric basebord heat is that it is relatively manitenance free. Ina complete house set up there are no service contracts or filter to clean nor any break downs' parts,duct cleaning or furnace replacement that should be factored into your yearly heating costs.
I've told the wife that when I'm dead and gone and she moves into another place she should try to have baseboard heat for piece of mind operation. Not maybe cheap in operation but piece of mind because I won't be around to fix either the furnace or heat pump when it quits, and they always quit eventually.
roger