Installing new hot-water heat system: recommendations?
I’m renovating a smallish wood frame house (three stories, 18 x 30) in very poor condition and would like to put in a new radiator system, with chunky old-style radiators or the new Runtal type. Possibly the old radiators themselves can be re-used but CG says pipes are shot. (He’s encouraging me to just go with hyper-heat mini-splits but I love radiant heat.) Anyone have experiences to share? Or a plumbing contractor to recommend for the job?
annissa12
in Heating and Cooling 1 year ago
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Guest User | 1 year ago
string(1) "3" string(6) "201692"
Errol832000@hotmail.com
annissa12 | 1 year ago
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Eman137 how do I get in touch? My CG’s preferred plumber doesn’t seem familiar with air-to-water heat pump/radiator systems, my GC is saying can’t be done for a whole house, but my research suggests that’s not true. Seems to be very common in the UK, including in big old houses.
lkrshacmzcy | 1 year ago
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If you are doing a gut renovation: do both. You are going to want a Cooling System instead of ugly window units, and the difference in Cooling vs Heating+Cooling is very minimal.
lkrshacmzcy | 1 year ago
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If you are doing a gut renovation: do both. You are going to want a Cooling System instead of ugly window units, and the difference in Cooling vs Heating+Cooling is very minimal.
cate | 1 year ago
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I love radiators. We can turn ours on briefly and they and the house stay warm for hours. That said, we really feel a need for AC in July and August and are considering mini splits. Had we considered AC at the beginning of our renovation 14 years ago, I would have preferred central air or at any rate something with hidden air handlers.
Zxavier54 | 1 year ago
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We have electric radiant heat in the bathrooms and it’s amazing. We have original floors elsewhere so it didn’t make sense (or even possible) to do throughout the house, but if I was replacing all the floors, I would do it in a second, ignoring the cost of course!
Zxavier54 | 1 year ago
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We have electric radiant heat in the bathrooms and it’s amazing. We have original floors elsewhere so it didn’t make sense (or even possible) to do throughout the house, but if I was replacing all the floors, I would do it in a second, ignoring the cost of course!
Lurker | 1 year ago
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Suggestion: cast your net wide and consider all the systems in your home together, not separately. See what options there are and price out the various scenarios to come up with your best possible fit.
As Eman and MP and others will tell you there are endless ways to heat (to a lesser extent to cool) a home but it’s useful to consider your electric, gas, water while you’re looking at heat. Considering the big picture may cause you to stretch now but down the line could end up making a far more efficient affordable and comfortable home (especially with all the tax breaks/credits/rebates available right now).
For instance, solar electric is expensive to install, but if you have a net zero electric bill for the next couple decades that could be worth it, and that could offset the cost of running central air or mini splits.
Hydronic underfloor radiant heat is expensive to install but really efficient to run (with gas anyway), and very comfortable.
etc
Master Plvmber | 1 year ago
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GCs are known to make terrible suggestions.