Homeowner`s system-design agony

Jochen Wuest

Hi to all here, glad to have stumbled onto this site - the more I read, the less I know ...
Here are some questions i`m wrangling with: - overture -
owner-builder gut-remodeling `73 stickbuilt 2000 sqf "trailer" to ~3500 sqf 1-1/2 story over basement "home". Sunny, southfacing site in NC mountains benign climate (short winter/generally good weather/14*F design low/no snow/occasional Alberta-clipper). Virtually non-existing heating SYSTEM (wall-toasters/kerosene-Monitors/wood-fireplaces) to design around ... so here I go:
1. Grew up in Germany - hydronic is a no-brainer 2. Fuel choices are down to oil,LP,electric,solar and/or combos (hmm)??? 3. Radiant floors in bsmt new slabs/over old and thin slabs over joists in baths/public/tiled areas w/solar daytime gains - panel radiators in bedrooms/low use/attic-level and maybe complementary to floorheat in high-loss i.e windowwalls/high-ceiling ? 4. Boiler vs. other setup? Modulating on propane - oil CI w/ large storage - amortisation vs efficiency vs operating cost vs finite budget vs superinsulation vs better windows vs solar DWH/preheat vs god knows what? Ayayayay,mamasita 5. No "find a professional" within 100 mi, last bid to a local radiant/solar guy came back with LP-Munchkin140/SOL400/ 4solar panels/all radiant floors w/ radiator options/the works installed for a mere 35+K - God help me and don`t forget the maintenance/repairs for state-of-the-art complex subtly controlled powerconsuming multivalved circulatored overzoned MONSTERS in a Murphy/law world. 6. Did I mention limited funds? And no heatloss-calc to date? And owner-build?

I would like a comfortable home,though, well-insulated with a functional hydronic heating/hot water system at a reasonable investment cost and operating cost and reasonable maintanance duties and few repairs/hickups and
someone to design and/or install it and still be able to buy, well - the rest of the house and the new windows and the insulation products and roofing/siding/flooring/lighting/sanitary andandand... Suggestions, anyone, on how to tackle this mess???

Boy, I sure hope all this was appropriate - feel free to ignore me or send hate-mail

Paul Mitchell_2

My two cents

In such a mild climate I think the system could be basic and comfortable. I would do oil Using an Energy Kinetics system 2000. This would also meet your domestic hot water needs. Then run some baseboard loops in the basement and use hydronic coils to heat the air to your home. The same ductwork and air handler would be used for your central A/C. Heating air this way is very comfortable..If the budget is still ok you could upgrade to variable speed blowers for added comfort.

Jochen Wuest

Thank you

... for your input into my already swirling head. Well, here`s one (or two?) small catch(es):
The old house really doesn`t have anything "central", be it heat, air or AC - so it also doesn`t have ANY ductwork and I am honestly not to eager to put too many of them li`l buggers in, pretty much for the same reasons I didn`t mention staple-up radiant - I`d have to get into all those old floors and ceilings/don`t even like forced air systems/can actually live quite well without whole-house AC (now there are some summer dog days and there is the humidity/ventilation issue, but that`s a whole different ballgame).
A simple and basic system, now, sounds like what I`d be wishing for, but the devil is ... know what I mean?