I’m planning the rehab of approx. 800 sq ft (on two floors) of residential space at the back of my house. The fixed up space will be a rental unit. I have everything figured out, but the heat source on which I keep getting conflicting advice.
The space is essentially one large room on each floor with a bathroom and half-bath and stair hall. The walls and floor (over crawlspace) will be insulated with spary foam. The ceiling has about 12″ of existing rock-wool. The windows are decent, but not great. The house is in Buffalo, NY which gets cold, but not frigid (at least in this former-Vermonter’s opinion). These rooms used to link to the rest of the house and had forced hot air, but the furnace is a good 60′ feet away and in any case I need to make it possible for the two units to be heated independently.
My initial plan was to retrofit hydroponic radiant heat. This would go under the existing floor on the second floor (via the ceiling below) and in a new sub-floor product like Warmboard ™ on the first. Other suggestions now include using a gas fireplace insert in the upstairs (bed) room with electric radiant in the bathroom floor, and a through-the wall vented gas heater downstairs, or getting a mini gas-furnace with simple ducting and stashing it under the stairs or somewhere similar. The electrician even suggested electric baseboard.
I’d love to hear what other people think, and have done in similar situations.
Replies
We have radiant heat in a cement slab on (most of)) the 1st floor of our cape with hot water baseboard on the upstairs spaces (2 bedrooms & master bath). Radiant heat is nice and even for the primary living space. The hot water is provided from a oil-fired boiler. I wouldn't think that electric fired radiant would be cheap to operate.
Our 1st floor bath has "staple-up" radiant that may be the best option for you if you have a boiler and a knowlegable plumber. Ensure that the boiler has enuff capacity before extending lines though. One item our builder found out is that the boiler and "brains" (made by Tekmar) was fussy with regard to thermostats.
One financial concern/impact would be if the renter were paying for heat.
BTW, you're right about regional temps - I lived in Lockport, NY which didn't get as cold as central NH.
are you doing labor for non-combustion items here, or hiring it out?
-=Northeast Radiant Technology=-
Radiant Design, Consultation, Parts Supply
http://www.NRTradiant.com
Doing it myself.
Then you can save tons doing your own panel system w/plywood and plates, unless you need the output warmboard is capable of. Of course, it's quite a bit more carpentry. Radiant ceiling is also a low-cost alternative that is quite comfortable and powerful, if you've got flat ceilings. Both are low-temp options that work well with condensing/modulating boilers for excellent efficiency and comfort (use an outdoor sensor and good thermostats).Obviously I'm biased, but if you're comparing Warmboard to a Monitor, well, the price range is a bit eschewed. Warmboard is the cadillac of radiant, but it's not required in every home.-------------------------------------
-=Northeast Radiant Technology=-
Radiant Design, Consultation, Parts Supply
http://www.NRTradiant.com