Heating new basement, electric or propane?
 

I am building a new home in the western
mountains of NC. I have a full
basement, of which, the front is at
ground level and the rear is completely
underground. The house will be heated
via heat pump and backup heat strips.
The basement is divided into 4 spaces, a
2 car garage and 3 rooms. The 3 rooms
are framed but not drywalled ... not
yet, anyway. Check out:
http://picasaweb.google.com/actodesc...49935785230802
The front large room is for a future
game room or the like. The back room
will probably house the water heater and
HVAC stuff. The "shop", wood and
electronics, will either be in the back
room or the right side room. I can
drywall off either of these area for the
shop. I am leaning to using the back
room, as the HVAC will shed some heat
and it would be easy to add a register
for both heat and cooling. I could add
an electric heater for winter. I could
also add a non venting propane heater as
there will be a propane tank for
cooking. I see torpedo propane units
and wall mount propane heaters. The
torpedoes are fan forced, which seems to
be a plus, and seem to have higher
outputs. I wouldn't consider a kerosene
unit as I have "smelled" them before.
The wall heaters usually don't have
fans. Is there a reason the propane
torpedo would not be good for this
application? The other thing about the
torpedo is that it can be moved to the
garage when needed as it is basically
portable. Do they put out more
pollutants than the wall heater? BTW,
the usage might be a few hours a day,
several days a week, but that's about
it. Any comments?
Thanks,
Art

Heating new basement, electric or propane?
 

On Dec 2, 8:38*am, Art Todesco wrote:
I am building a new home in the western
mountains of NC. *I have a full
basement, of which, the front is at
ground level and the rear is completely
underground. *The house will be heated
via heat pump and backup heat strips.
The basement is divided into 4 spaces, a
2 car garage and 3 rooms. *The 3 rooms
are framed but not drywalled ... not
yet, anyway. *Check out:http://picasaweb.google.com/actodesc...49935785230802
The front large room is for a future
game room or the like. *The back room
will probably house the water heater and
HVAC stuff. *The "shop", wood and
electronics, will either be in the back
room or the right side room. *I can
drywall off either of these area for the
shop. *I am leaning to using the back
room, as the HVAC will shed some heat
and it would be easy to add a register
for both heat and cooling. *I could add
an electric heater for winter. *I could
also add a non venting propane heater as
there will be a propane tank for
cooking. *I see torpedo propane units
and wall mount propane heaters. *The
torpedoes are fan forced, which seems to
be a plus, and seem to have higher
outputs. *I wouldn't consider a kerosene
unit as I have "smelled" them before.
The wall heaters usually don't have
fans. *Is there a reason the propane
torpedo would not be good for this
application? * The other thing about the
torpedo is that it can be moved to the
garage when needed as it is basically
portable. *Do they put out more
pollutants than the wall heater? *BTW,
the usage might be a few hours a day,
several days a week, but that's about
it. *Any comments?
Thanks,
Art

Don't even think about a non-vented heater f any kind. They are
intended for more or less open areas like barns and construction
sites. Any decent shop will have a ceiling mounted gas or propane
vented heater like the Modine Hot Dawg, my personal favorite. At the
price, you can use two in separate locations to cut down on heating
too large an area. Don't be deluded about the potential usage being
limited. Experience shows that a well appointed shop will be used far
more than ever planned, especially with new construction such as
yours.

Joe.

Heating new basement, electric or propane?
 

I came across this website.

For some cases, electric fares well with propane.

http://www.buildinggreen.com/calc/fuel_cost.cfm

You will want to adjust for prices in your area. Our electic is about 13
cents per kwh and propane is currently about 2.70

Heating new basement, electric or propane?
 

"Art Todesco" wrote in message
...
I am building a new home in the western mountains of NC. I have a full
basement, of which, the front is at ground level and the rear is completely
underground. The house will be heated via heat pump and backup heat
strips. The basement is divided into 4 spaces, a 2 car garage and 3 rooms.
The 3 rooms are framed but not drywalled ... not yet, anyway. Check out:

You may want to go with propane just so you will have a source of heat if
the power goes out.

Heating new basement, electric or propane?
 

That might be something to consider -- so long as you don't require a
blower -- having the non electric source of heat might some day come in
handy.

I have electric shop heat, and propane furnace house heat. I'm thinking to
add a wood stove to the shop.

"Ralph Mowery" wrote in message
m...

"Art Todesco" wrote in message
...
I am building a new home in the western mountains of NC. I have a full
basement, of which, the front is at ground level and the rear is
completely underground. The house will be heated via heat pump and backup
heat strips. The basement is divided into 4 spaces, a 2 car garage and 3
rooms. The 3 rooms are framed but not drywalled ... not yet, anyway.
Check out:

You may want to go with propane just so you will have a source of heat if
the power goes out.

Heating new basement, electric or propane?
 

"Kevin" wrote in message
...
That might be something to consider -- so long as you don't require a
blower -- having the non electric source of heat might some day come in
handy.

I have electric shop heat, and propane furnace house heat. I'm thinking
to add a wood stove to the shop.


Even if it does have a blower, it can be powered by a generator if needed.
Not many have a generator that will power a heat pump. Especially for very
long. I had a house that had natural gas heat and could start up a small
(5000 watt) generator for the blower every so often to get the heat up. Then
use it for other things. It takes a heat pump a long time to heat a house
where the gas heat will come on for a short time to get the heat up and can
then be shut off for a while.

I am now in a house with a heatpump but have a wood stove in the basement
just incase it is needed.

Heating new basement, electric or propane?
 

"Kevin" wrote in message
...
That might be something to consider -- so long as you don't require a
blower -- having the non electric source of heat might some day come in
handy.

I have electric shop heat, and propane furnace house heat. I'm thinking
to add a wood stove to the shop.

If your shop is an attached garage, it will be against fire code. If not,
just use care as solid fuel stoves can stay hot enough to ignite solvent
fumes for a day or two after the fire seems out.

Heating new basement, electric or propane?
 

Joe wrote:
On Dec 2, 8:38 am, Art Todesco wrote:

I am building a new home in the western
mountains of NC. I have a full
basement, of which, the front is at
ground level and the rear is completely
underground. The house will be heated
via heat pump and backup heat strips.
The basement is divided into 4 spaces, a
2 car garage and 3 rooms. The 3 rooms
are framed but not drywalled ... not
yet, anyway. Check out:http://picasaweb.google.com/actodesc...49935785230802
The front large room is for a future
game room or the like. The back room
will probably house the water heater and
HVAC stuff. The "shop", wood and
electronics, will either be in the back
room or the right side room. I can
drywall off either of these area for the
shop. I am leaning to using the back
room, as the HVAC will shed some heat
and it would be easy to add a register
for both heat and cooling. I could add
an electric heater for winter. I could
also add a non venting propane heater as
there will be a propane tank for
cooking. I see torpedo propane units
and wall mount propane heaters. The
torpedoes are fan forced, which seems to
be a plus, and seem to have higher
outputs. I wouldn't consider a kerosene
unit as I have "smelled" them before.
The wall heaters usually don't have
fans. Is there a reason the propane
torpedo would not be good for this
application? The other thing about the
torpedo is that it can be moved to the
garage when needed as it is basically
portable. Do they put out more
pollutants than the wall heater? BTW,
the usage might be a few hours a day,
several days a week, but that's about
it. Any comments?
Thanks,
Art

-------------

Here in NH I've seen a number of 'barns converted to businesses' etc
that use some sort of small modern kerosene (pressurized???) system that
they all seem to love. Not the old blower kerosene heaters that I've
used etc and that you are thinking about. (I personally use propane for
my 'outbuildings'). So, look into modern kerosene options, you might be
surprised at the new technology.

Paul