Heating Questions

[s1120]

Rich,
My only problem with wood heat is all the work. I like just letting the heater do its job. The house I live in now has an old gas steam boiler now, and I tend to forget to add water to it till the heat shuts off. So I don't think I would keep the fire going in a wood burner day in, day out. I do want some form of wood backup heat though. Would like to be able to heat the house with it when I am home, and feel like tending the fire.

 

[toddwulf]

Paul, We are also in the process of building and although our climate in the Foothills of the Sierra Nevada in Northern CA. is quite a bit warmer, we are installing Radiant Floor Heating in the Slab and second floor Joists. The System will run off a Polaris Propane Water Heater with a Heat Exchanger. The concept is to heat the floors to about 80-85 and the temp at your head level will be about 68-72. This as opposed to Forced Air heating your ceiling to 120 so your head is at 72 but your feet are still cold. System can be run with Carpet, tile, Floating Hard Wood Floors etc...

I will be doing all the work myself this weekend in laying out the tubing prior to our Slab being poured next week. I estimate our cost of material at wholesale for a 3700 Sq. Ft. Home to be about $7K including the Polaris Heater at about $1500-$1700. We will still have Forced Hot Air but it will be as a backup, not the primary. Supposedly about 30% less expensive to operate so it will pay for itself in a matter of a 5 years or so.

Best of Luck.
Todd in Placerville