Heat suggestions for vacation home??
This is my first post here, so by way of introduction, I’m an ex-carpenter (25 yrs ago) and do most of my own maintenance and remodeling projects. Didn’t build my current house, but was involved enough to realize techniques, tools, etc. have changed a bit since I swung a hammer (one of the things that’s changed… yeah, we didn’t have nail guns ;-)).
My project is a 28 year old, single story, 680 sq. ft. house located in the mtns of North Carolina. It has an off-brand forced-air electric furnace installed in a vented, dirt crawl space that hasn’t been operated in about 10 years. The crawl space is low, maybe 2’6″ down to less than 1′ in places. It’s a off-brand that would probably be difficult to get parts for, and the duct-work in general seems to be a terrible source of cold air and moisture infiltration from the crawl space. So, I’m thinking about removing the furnace and duct-work, blocking the return and vent openings, and installing some kind electric heat that would be used as back-up to the wood heat. The house is small enough that forced air really isn’t a requirement. Also, the house will be unoccuppied for weeks during the winter, so I’d like to be able to set the heat around 40 or 50 degrees to keep pipes and water heater from freezing for times when no one is there.
So, I’m fishing for comments (good idea? bad idea? what would you do?) or suggestions as to types of electric (or other) heat to use.
Thanks in advance for any help!
Edited 1/2/2006 10:33 am ET by derNewt
Replies
Many use Monitor type (Monitor, Laser, etc). They are very efficient. Depending on the security though I would be careful. A friend's mother had some real cretins break in, steal the heater, let the kerosene run out on to the floor. Now days they would just steal the oil. They are available in propane also.
Where are you?
Edited 1/2/2006 2:08 pm ET by rasconc
Hey, Rasconc, Thanks for the response!I'm in Virginia, but the house is in NW N. Carolina, near Boone. Two concerns with a monitor heater: 1) How much floor space would it take up? At 680 sq. ft., there's none to spare. 2) Air quality and burner fouling. If something went wack-o, would it smoke up the house? Also, does it use interior air, or is their an exterior feed? For what it's worth, power outages are a significant problem. The absolute ultimate solution would continue to heat during a power outage. (Remember, this house is unoccupied for weeks at a time.)
http://www.monitorproducts.com/
http://www.monitorproducts.com/gf1800.htm
Second one is gas and good for up to 800sqft, will reset after power out. Would not help for prolonged outages though.
I look after my sister's place in Land Harbor in Linville/Newland. I have considered putting a RV propane furnace with some battery back-up for the fan. Her place is 500 sq ft with cathedral ceiling. It would be a piece of cake to put it in the laundry closet and duct into each room with only a couple of feet of duct.
This type of heater uses a co-axial exhaust that draws in combustion air through the outer chamber cooling the exhaust pipe. They make a small version that takes up very little space. They do require power as they have a blower. Can't answer about smoke up if a failure but can't see how it could.
Maybe a thermostatic gas heater would cover you. We just shut down when the season is over and it starts to get cold, around Nov and open back up in March or so. House was plumbed to be fairly easy to drain. Takes me about an hour to winterize it because of dishwasher, washer, icemaker.
Edited 1/2/2006 6:21 pm ET by rasconc
What does electricity cost per KwH? If it's relatively low, some electric radiators might be your cheapest alternative, both in terms of fuel cost and installed cost.
at under 700sf I'd put a ductless central a/c heat pump unit in... prob a 1ton unit would do but you can get 3/4 ton 1.5ton even 2ton units...
use the search word "ductless" on ebay and you'll find the complete unit for under $800 read all the ads not all come with the lines... but some do... it's a simple clean install and you can junk everything you have
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