[kawi_200]

For a point of reference, my friend has a 960sqft 3 bed 2 bath house. He went through the local Everett/Snohomish PUD program and got a heat pump system installed for about $5,000. That is for the unit outside and two of the wall mount fan unit things inside. One in the living room and one in the master bedroom. His house was very nice to visit last summer.

[Randito]

If you really really hate all the duct work from Forced Air heating system -- you possibly could replace your furnace with a boiler and the duct work with hot water pipes -- and then place hot water radiators in each room. A boiler would be $2K-$4K Each radiator $$250-$500 + the cost of all the plumbing + all the labor. Maybe you should move -- it would be less work.

[Frosty]

How much time are you spending down there to be bothered by ductwork? I zip down to retrieve wine or food from the cold room, grind some flour or get camping gear or tools. Not only is the hot water tank there, right next to it are the electric furnace, wood furnace, in the cold room sits the water softener, the iron filter and submersible pump. Two chest freezers are also down there! Beauty in the basement? I am confused!

[wolffie]

[Hulksmash]

[mike]

Most new homes around here use a hot water boiler or ground source hp. LP gas

[mike]

[GregoryBrown]

I think consulting a good plumbing professional will suggest you the best option for you according to your need and situation.

[wolffie]

I've hired my bro-in-law to remodel the basement. He recommends switching from forced-air oil heat to forced-air gas. I think the forced-air is important; I don't see how 2 or even 3 ductless heat pumps are going to get heat into all the little corners of the house, esp. the deep walk-in closet at the SE corner that has had mildew problems. The gas co. wants 3 gas appliances if they're gonna run a line to your house. I have been told you can get away with lying about it, and doing only gas heat. But my BIL suggests replacing my 1985 Maytag electric dryer (which will never die, but uses a lot of electricity) with a gas dryer, AND replacing my lifetime Rheem Marathon electric water heater* with one centrally-located on-demand gas water heater (the house is small, 1 unit can serve 2 bathrooms, kitchen, and the laundry). Maybe also replacing my 1985 Maytag top-loader washing machine (which will never die and has had no maintenance except a belt replacement) with a front-loader. My footprint is about 800 sq. ft., 1 floor with basement, so the ductwork is not extensive. So if I do this, I'll be really Green and efficient. I will be ruining the planet more slowly than you are. -------------------------- *if anybody wants to buy this Rheem Marathon electric water heater, it's a double plastic-shell with 4" foam is carries a lifetime warranty (probably voided by selling it to you). It's light and was easy to install. Our original water heater lasted 35 years. The 2nd lasted 10 years and 2 months (10 year warranty; they have it figured down to the month). I reckoned SOMEBODY knows how to make a water heater, and I found this one -- marketed through rural electric co-ops, I had to drive to North Bend to get it. About twice the cost of a disposable water heater, and much more efficient. NOW THE FUN PART: The most elaborate and intrusive ductwork was the cold-air return vent from the far corner of the NE bedroom, my daughter's, which always seemed cold. I always had to duck under this duct (is that why they call it "Duck tape"?). To enter the joist tunnel, it had a triple 90° bend, impressive sheet metal work. Not a breath of air ever went down that tube. I tried to vacuum it out once, and found it blocked mid-channel by a 2 x 9! The only joist tunnel so blocked in the house. Nobody had bothered to check. I even measured it to see if was hiding a secret compartment containing the original owner's ill-gotten bank robbery hoard. No such luck.

[iron]

^ a ductless heat pump will be able to heat that kind of area. shouldn't be a problem unless insulation sucks. not all utilities will run gas to your house if you say you're going to use it. PSE wanted $15k to run it down our driveway. umm, no.

[LizzyRN]

We upgraded to natural gas from a 50 year old oil furnace, electric dryer, cooking and hot water heater. CNG brought it to our meter (no cost with a two appliance promise, we went with 4) and Handys Heating did the rest. 2,100 SF main floor and the same size basement. We wanted one fireplace to have gas, but they weren't keen on drilling through the brick. We cleaned out the ducts at the same time. They weren't bad but we found some cool old "treasures". We change the filters faithfully. Our gas bill fluctuates from $50-$125-ish. Haven't regretted it yet.

[kawi_200]