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The 1918 house I bought in 2003 has gas furnace and water heater. The latter needs to be replaced, and after a nasty episode with a plumber (he left the gas cock on a quarter-turn, and I discovered that the house was full of gas about an hour before I was to leave town for a few weeks), I want to get rid of all gas connection in the house entirely.
My German relatives are amused that we Yanks still have tank water heaters, and I agree -- I'm going to put in a tankless water heater. But I need advice on electric heat! We get several weeks of consistently below freezing highs and lows in the winters here in NE Missouri (with occasional dips below 0 F), so I understand that a heat pump might not be sufficient. The house is about exactly 1000 sq ft, no useable attic, and the basement and crawl space should have some heat in them, too, if for no other reason than to keep the pipes from freezing and the heated air traveling through the ductwork from getting cold by the time it reaches the bedrooms (as it does now).
Also, a tyro question about the electrical connections needed. Would they run an entirely new electric line into the house for the electric heat? My current circuit box is about full. Would I get a 2nd circuit box installed just for the furnace & water heater?
I am not an electrician nor plumber, but a very active homeowner and handyman.
The heating/AC contractor you hire to install the new system will be able to advise you of your current electrical service and be ale to determine if it is sufficient for the new equipment. Be sure to inform them of the water heaters, too.
In-line water heaters: You may require several - one for the kitchen and another for each bathroom. The electric models I've seen are not big enough for "whole-house" use.
You mention attic and basement. Are those spaces and the walls insulated?
I have relatives near you and also a bit further south between Hume & Metz.
Heat pump will def not be sufficient in the winter. We have a heat pump with a gas back up and switch it totally to gas when temps are basically in the 40's and 30's.
Thanks, Bubba & flowerjen! The electric company guy came by this week on a different errand entirely, but we discussed my all-electric ambition. He said the El. Co. would run 200 amps into my house (currently (NPI) it's at 100) and an electrician would swap out my present circuit box for a 200-amp one. So that's the power question answered -- but, alas, not paid for. I fear this work will be the most expensive part of the project!
I found online somewhere an electric tankless water heater that would cover the entire house, but it was $6K or so. The single-spigot water heaters that I've seen run $1-300 apiece; I'll have to see if I can hook up a couple pairs of spigots -- say, bathroom sink & tub, and kitchen sink & dishwasher -- that'd mean I'd need 3 of them (5 if not), easily affordable.
So, what remains is the furnace. Having a gas backup to the heat pump is not an option. I'd as soon sleep with a cobra. What are alternatives? Baseboard heaters? Is it possible to install a thermometer-triggered heater within an air duct so that the air traveling along doesn't cool off excessively? Is there even such thing as an electric furnace?
Bubba, the house inspection says the attic is R-12, but I have reason to believe that the inspector fibbed about going up there. The basement is dug into living limestone and the floor is not insulated, nor is the floor over the crawl space. Another project!
I'm helping a friend repair an "old house". He recently had the central unit replaced - has both A/C and heat - went with York. Much mor efficient that the 25+ year old unit. We also replaced the hot water heater - big 50 gal unit even though it is a small house. I was amazed at the efficiency and the insulation on that. Was nearly a foot wider than the old unit - at least 6" of insulation.
I hadn't seen this thread before now.. but let me chime in!
In 2003 we installed a 3 ton geothermal unit in our 1915 2500sf farm house. When we moved in, in 2001 the house had pretty much been refurbished minus the furnace it had new electric, windows, roof, siding all the other stuff so we lucked out.
We look at the cost of a new gas/propane furnace, the geo did run almost $4000. more to install then a conventional furnace, the figures showed that we would recoup our investment within 7 years.. We went with the electric water heater also.
We recieved a special rate from the electric company (check with yours) and right now there are new tax refund/rebates..
My opinion... in an older home.. it is a no brainer!! with the cost of fuels going up so high we have recouped our investment in 3 years instead of 7.. now yes.. electic is going up too, I understand that.. so is everything else..
I still know what I pay per month right now is less than half of what I paid per month 5 years ago with both electric & propane. Right now it is the only thing I save on!
Am I warm in the winter & cool in the summer... yep... a steady 73... and virtually free hot water all winter!
Fran
Around here not only does gas heat cost more per degree temp than electric, the gas co charges $26 just for the privilege of having gas. Two years ago, one July my gas bill was $9. If I use the same amount of gas this July, it'll be $35 plus their rate increase. That is too expensive! In winter the gas heat (1000 sq ft hse) plus the electric space heaters total over $300/mo, and then there's the prospect of the house blowing up. The last apartment I lived in, where all the heat was electric, when the neighbors were complaining of $500 heating bills I was being charged $150 or so. Whatever people do to get $500 heating bills, apparently I don't do it.
And isn't it easier to hook up solar panels to an electric system than to a gas one? Maybe someday I'll get solar panels.
All brands of electric furnaces have strip heaters in them that are rated in KW ratings. A 20-KW furnace will require 80-Amps to operate at full load. This is accomplished with [4] 5kw strips,each drawing 20 amps. These are brought on with sequencers in stages. It doesn't matter what brand you get as long as it is installed properly. However I would get a high efficiency water heater. Figure app.15 amps for this. Hope this helps!
