Heat and hot water for a tiny home

Gplace

I am purchasing an house and cottage on one lot and it will be a rental property.

The cottage is about 400 sq feet and is configured with an awkward closet between the kitchen and living area that contains a hot water heater and wall heater. I would like to open this up to gain more room in the kitchen (I feel the current configuration is unsafe) and improve the heating. Both wall heater and water heater are gas. The current tenant has space heaters throughout the house now. There is no basement, and the house is in Colorado.

What are options that will take up less space? No more than 2 people will live in this home, and currently there is no dishwasher or laundry, although I'd like to add stackable laundry in the future.

Thanks!

Zman

What type of fuel options do you have?
Is the existing setup electric,gas,propane?
Pictures always help.

Aaron_in_Maine

I would do a ductless mini split for heating and cooling. Then a small electric water heater or gas if you prefer then I would use a on demand water heater for a smaller footprint.

Gplace

Thanks for responses. The house has gas and electric. Either would work. How reliable are on demand water heaters?

There are two adult renters.

kcopp

Most are pretty good. How is your water quality? Hard water will mean more service...or a softener.

Aaron_in_Maine

On demand gas water heaters are very reliable. I have been putting them in for over twelve years with very little issues. Water quality is key if the water quality is suspect I would not go tankless electric or gas. I have had a gas on demand in my house for over six years. I use about 130-150 gallons of propane a year with a family of three.

Gplace

Here is a sketch of the layout. Where would the heating unit be positioned?

SWEI

I don't supposed the bathroom slab is insulated?

Gplace

Of course not, it is an icebox.

SWEI

It's going to be a tough job keeping that comfortable. Much too small to have its own ductless head.

What are the gas and electric rates like there?

Gplace

We are in the process of purchasing, The layout above is what I would like to do to make the space more livable and energy efficient. The attached layout is the current layout with a weird closet blocking a cabinet.

I am sure the renters (who pay utilities) have high bills because the windows are old and there is no insulation in the rafters. Currently, there is an odd closet that blocks the cabinets with a water heater and a wall mounted furnace that faces the living area. The tenant said it gets too hot, leaving the rest of the house cold, so he has space heaters in the other rooms. Not safe in such a small house.

hot_rod

Gplace said:

We are in the process of purchasing, The layout above is what I would like to do to make the space more livable and energy efficient. The attached layout is the current layout with a weird closet blocking a cabinet.

I am sure the renters (who pay utilities) have high bills because the windows are old and there is no insulation in the rafters. Currently, there is an odd closet that blocks the cabinets with a water heater and a wall mounted furnace that faces the living area. The tenant said it gets too hot, leaving the rest of the house cold, so he has space heaters in the other rooms. Not safe in such a small house.

You can put lipstick on a pig, but...
If the structure is poorly built, insulated, and enclosed it will cost more to condition it, of course. Cold slabs inside any part of a living structure are one of the worse conditions. Even if you put enough energy towards that are to provide a bearable ambient temperature, that slab will always feel cool to the feet.

If you want cooling then some sort of mini split would be a good option. If heating alone is enough, some panel rads would provide radiant surfaces and some convection heating.

As always how much $$ to make it how comfortable? And is there a ROI, or is that a concern?

Gplace

We will insulate the attic and want to provide a safe, energy efficient solution that won't break the renter's backs in terms of bills. I feel as if the use of space heaters is dangerous. I don't want to spend a fortune, but we are willing to add some improvements to increase comfort, safety and energy efficiency. The bathroom is a step down, I wonder if we could insulate under the floor covering when we replace it, but with plumbing that could be a problem as well.

kcopp

Here is my 2 cents...
I would use the Rinnai vented heaters.
One in the living area and a smaller one in the bedroom.
If your crawlspace is big enough and insulated enough I would do a low boy electric WH.
Electric BB or a electric blower in the bathroom.

Leon82

I have a Panasonic 1100 fan heater combo and it will heat the 4x8 bathroom pretty fast. It takes about 30 seconds to heat the element blow heat fast.