I have a two family home with both units sharing the owners gas fired forced air furnace.
This system is NOT zoned. A single thermostat in the owner’s unit controls the furnace.
Thoughts on the most efficient/ecomnomical way to provide separate heating to the apartment? Separate forced air furnace? Radiant heat?
I have full access to the apartment from a full basement beneath the apartment.
thanks
Replies
Greetings decorhaus,
This post, in response to your question, will bump the thread through the 'recent discussion' listing again.
Perhaps it will catch someone's attention that can help you with advice.
Cheers
Beware. RFID is coming.
The most economical first cost alternative is a separate forced air furnace. If the apartment is a single floor, quite easily handeled from the basement below. The problem with adding a single, separate unit is that the existing unit would be significantly oversized. Ideally, the sigle system would be modified as necessary to be two properly sized, smaller systems, i.e. two new furnaces to replace the present one.
Radiant heat is never going to be a more economical alternative, in either installed or operating costs. It is, in many peoples opinion, mine included, a superior manner in which to provide comfort heating. Installed costs for radiant/infloor heating are double, triple or higher, than that of forced air, and the energy savings, using a condensing modulating boiler vs a condensing 2-stage furnace, are minimal or non-existant. Some people have even experience higher fuel usage with radiant over forced air.
Thanks Tim.
I was considering radiant mainly due to the comfort and given good access to the floor from beneath I was thinking also it might be a doable DYI job.
But probably the most practicable is a 2nd unit with it's own meter.
regards
I think I'd first install a dampered takeoff from the gas furnace. Rig a thermostat to the damper. Odds are good that this would be sufficient (if this is truly a basement apartment), but if not add radient electric or possibly radient HW off the water heater.
You could of course fully zone the furnace. For some reason this requires a $700 control unit, plus the cost of the dampers and some tin-bending. (Control unit should only cost about $100, but appears to be over-designed.)