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what would best options for heat be on straights of macinaw?

Tom_68
Tom_68 Member Posts: 3
I have a good friend building a new home on the north sides of the Straights of Macinaw.  He has had some radiant elec. floor heating installed in some of the new home,  but was told that it would not be effective in heating the entire house.  It was suggested he purchase a heat pump with backup electric heat.   I completly disagree with the heat pump as the winters there are horrible.  Natural gas is not an option.  I'm thinking no heat pump,  just use electric heat.   He has to get an a/c installed anyway, so why couldn't they just put the electric heating elements in his furnace?   He doesn't want propane either because of the tank and the room on the property.   Someone else suggested baseboard heating through a boiler.   Any suggestions?     Obviously whatever he does he will need to have good insulation all over and he will have to install a humidifier if he's using electric heat too.    Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Tom

Comments

  • SWEI
    SWEI Member Posts: 7,356
    Heat loss calc?

    Design temp?  Electric rates?  Special tariffs?  No NG available? 



    A modern VRF ASHP with electric resistance backup might mane sense.  Or not.
  • Tom_133
    Tom_133 Member Posts: 883
    Thats not me!

    Hey guys how many different Tom's can have my screen name? This one isn't me
    Tom
    Montpelier Vt
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,513
    Screen names

    There's nothing in the software that locks in a screen name, once chosen. This is why I've often suggested that folks use their full names when posting. Chances of your exact name being duplicated are slim. 
    Retired and loving it.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,170
    If your friend

    hasn't finalised the building plans yet, get him to put in as much solar as he can.  Possibly active on the roof, but passive as well (such as a lot of really good glass) on the south side.  It can make a huge difference.  There are a number of good design sources out there, and a good architect should be aware of them.



    True, the climate in the UP does leave something to be desired in the winter.  On the other hand, so do electric rates... is a ground source heat pump (not air source; groundwater) an option?
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Tom_133
    Tom_133 Member Posts: 883
    Sorry for high jacking

    Sorry I Iead this thread astray. I will fix my name. Thanks Dan
    Tom
    Montpelier Vt
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,513
    No worries.

    We love all our Toms!
    Retired and loving it.
  • archibald tuttle
    archibald tuttle Member Posts: 1,085
    sounds like the horse is halfway out of the barn?

    if I'm reading this right, the physical plant is already largely constructed and some electric radiant floor is installed - where kitchen and/or bath. if i were using electric, might do more of that although depending whose system it can be more pricey than electric baseboard.



    either solar or ground source heat pump would be better companion with more floor radiant.  depending on how open the house plan if the ground floor is not in yet or there is enough ceiling height you can insulate it and then put tubes into the concrete or if there is already concrete floor i rout the tubes into foam closed cell xps foam insulation (pink owens corning, or blue dow) and then put heavy aluminum foil in the channels (because i am too cheap to buy the ready made floor panels. I have marked the pattern and secured hardibacker over this for either tile backer or floating wood floor, etc.  you probalby could get away with floating floor directly on the foam but i like the hardibacker layer for little thermal mass and somethin to work with or glue to. 



    the point is that heat pumping and solar are going to produce more useful btus if they can be used at lower temperature differencve from the heated space and radiant helps with that.



    if the floor is in and don't want to mess with that, can do the same thin with the walls.  i've down it as a chair rail as well.



    must be a fairly small lot if he doesn't want propane.  you don't need a lot of room and, esp. as back up or alternative to solar or heat pump, wouldn't need as large a tank and wouldn't need a lot of interior space for a modcon for propane. 



    don't iknow if you get a lot of cheap electricity up there from canada so it would just make sense to have an electric hot water heater as back up. 



    how big is house, how well insulated? 



    of course we just went through this thing with hot water heaters as heating applicances but if you're not in some retentive district in canada think it would be doable and cheap.



    brian
  • archibald tuttle
    archibald tuttle Member Posts: 1,085
    and dan, on the name thing

    i chose a single name myself and i guess there could be more than one of me (heaven forbid).



    i don't know what the sensibilities are because i chose my real name. although i realized of late that i should have used my trade name which is what i employ across a range of vocational sites for consistency.



    is there somewhere i can go to get my name changed or do i have to do that in court.



    archibald tuttle
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,513
    When you login

    Just go to Settings. You can change it there. Merry Christmas!
    Retired and loving it.
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,561
    Question

    Dan,

    Does the Name change for past posts as well or just moving forward?

    Carl
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,513
    It will change for all posts

    including the older ones. 
    Retired and loving it.
  • Steamfitter66
    Steamfitter66 Member Posts: 117
    Radiant can be designed to heat almost any structure.

    And can be fueled by whatever the local conditions dictate
  • archibald tuttle
    archibald tuttle Member Posts: 1,085
    the nerve . . .

    to say in 7 words what took me 7 paragraphs.
  • Steamfitter66
    Steamfitter66 Member Posts: 117
    MERRY CHRISTMAS

    and a Radiant New Year
This discussion has been closed.