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replace in-floor radiant with ducted heat pump in crawl space??

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acustode
acustode Member Posts: 13
edited August 28 in A-C, Heat Pumps & Refrigeration

We have a newer 2300sf ranch home with a full crawlspace which is sealed and maintains temp of about 63 degrees. We live at 8300 in the CO mtns. Currently have in floor radiant heat and propane boiler. We love that it's quiet and feels good on our feet, but it uses a lot of propane and we don't have a/c (no ductwork) for those days that it's hot here. I am thinking about a sizable PV solar system and want to remove the boiler and instead use an electric heat pump with an air handler and ductwork installed in the crawl space. I know I'd be walking away from a perfectly functional radiant system, but I'd be getting an all electric heating AND cooling system and solar with battery backup. I don't want the wall register/heads, I have too much glass and hate the way they look and sound (I'm sound sensitive). Talk me into or out of my plan… Thanks for your professional insight, I really appreciate you!

Comments

  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 7,538

    How's that work after a few days of no sun & blizzard conditions?

    Keep the back up. The technology is not quite there……………….Yet.

    Big Ed_4
  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 3,581

    I never seen a good heat pump or geothermal system without a back up .. As the temperature drops so does the efficiency . If you size for heat it will be over sized for cooling . Leave the boiler in and run it on low for a warm floor .. Turn it up on those cold nights or when you have to wait days for a part .. Good luck

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

    pecmsg
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 28,303

    You could consider an air to water heat pump. That gives you radiant heat and & chilled water for the air handler. Keep the boiler for backup. No reason to abandon a working radiant.

    With a low cooling load in that location, maybe even chill the floors for some cooling effect. Skip the ducted system.

    How much LP for a typical winter? What size and type boiler?

    Ideally a heating and cooling load calculation to see what you are up against.

    Further reading here.

    https://www.caleffi.com/en-us/magazine/27-air-water-heat-pump-systems

    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    bjohnhy
  • DCContrarian
    DCContrarian Member Posts: 1,569
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1902866#Comment_1902866

    Colorado has net metering. The power company stores your energy for you.

  • DCContrarian
    DCContrarian Member Posts: 1,569

    Are you off-grid? I wouldn't recommend a battery as your only backup if you are.

  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 7,676

    Keep the radiant as auxiliary with a 1° droop.

    If you're thinking of installing an inverter HP, you'll need the radiant down the road while you're waiting for parts on the HP.

    pecmsg
  • JMWHVAC
    JMWHVAC Member Posts: 126

    Abandoning Radiant to go to hot air heat is like….umm.. maybe selling your car and going back to horses. Horses have benefits over cars but they won’t give you the same benefits. A heat pump is great for a little heat and quick heat for the not so cold seasons, floor heat is unparalleled comfort.

  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 7,538

    So, what are you planning to do with the radiant once it's abandoned?

    Don't let it freeze!

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 27,799

    Do the numbers on the "sizaable" PV system and associated batteries. With the heat pump trying to heat your place at 0 and it's dark out.

    You may find that "sizable" is more like "seriously big" — and I assure you that 2300 square feet of collector will be nowhere near enough — and the battery costs will be impressive.

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 28,303

    You mentioned a “newer” home? It must be fairly energy efficient if it was built to current codes?

    Glass loads can usually be helped with some movable insulated window treatments.

    There are plenty of PV installations and installers in Colorado, they can run simulations by looking at your roof via Google. Rarely do they size for 100% of your load, you didn’t mention going off grid?

    I have 6200W on my roof which covers my 5 ton hp for much of the cooling season. Keep the newer lp boiler for the radiant, maybe DHW.

    You have a very workable plan and we can maybe suggest contractors that do these hybrid conversions in your area. It doesn’t have to be either/ or.

    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • Kaos
    Kaos Member Posts: 977

    I have thought about doing exactly this as a poor man's heated floor. Similar to how nice and toasty floors are above a 90f boiler room.

    To see if is possible, would have to know what your heat load is. Roughly how much propane do you use in a heating season? Also is the slab and the stem walls in the crawl insulated?

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 21,009

    If the cooling load is light maybe Mini Split HPs and keep the radiant for BU.

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