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Heating finished basement: add hydronic zone or use AC/heat pump?
Hi.
I'm finishing my basement (open floor plan, 800sqft, walk-out, full height, cinderblock walls, no water issues, in New York). It will have 2" EPS insulation on interior of cinderblock walls, covered with sheetrock. I have hydronic radiators in main floor of the house (oil-fired boiler) and I also have just installed a mini-split A/C & Heat pump system for all rooms of house with capacity for one more unit of 18,000BTU. I'm going to install that last one to air condition the basement. My question is: should I rely on that mini-split to heat the basement, or should I install a new hydronic zone for the basement and install some baseboards? I just don't want to be done and then have to tear open walls to install pipe and baseboards if it's going to be too cold to watch tv and hang out down there. All comments and opinions appreciated, especially if based on experience. Thanks Theodore |
#2
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Heating finished basement: add hydronic zone or use AC/heat pump?
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#3
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Heating finished basement: add hydronic zone or use AC/heat pump?
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#4
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Heating finished basement: add hydronic zone or use AC/heat pump?
wrote in message ... Hi. I'm finishing my basement (open floor plan, 800sqft, walk-out, full height, cinderblock walls, no water issues, in New York). It will have 2" EPS insulation on interior of cinderblock walls, covered with sheetrock. I have hydronic radiators in main floor of the house (oil-fired boiler) and I also have just installed a mini-split A/C & Heat pump system for all rooms of house with capacity for one more unit of 18,000BTU. I'm going to install that last one to air condition the basement. My question is: should I rely on that mini-split to heat the basement, or should I install a new hydronic zone for the basement and install some baseboards? I just don't want to be done and then have to tear open walls to install pipe and baseboards if it's going to be too cold to watch tv and hang out down there. My question is how cold does it get where you are at ? If many days below about 25 to 30 deg F , that mini-split will probably not be able to make enough heat, especially at 25 and below. For the southern half of the US they usually work fine in many areas, but it does not get below 25 for too many days. |
#5
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Heating finished basement: add hydronic zone or use AC/heat pump?
On 5/14/2015 7:01 PM, Ralph Mowery wrote:
wrote in message ... Hi. I'm finishing my basement (open floor plan, 800sqft, walk-out, full height, cinderblock walls, no water issues, in New York). It will have 2" EPS insulation on interior of cinderblock walls, covered with sheetrock. I have hydronic radiators in main floor of the house (oil-fired boiler) and I also have just installed a mini-split A/C & Heat pump system for all rooms of house with capacity for one more unit of 18,000BTU. I'm going to install that last one to air condition the basement. My question is: should I rely on that mini-split to heat the basement, or should I install a new hydronic zone for the basement and install some baseboards? I just don't want to be done and then have to tear open walls to install pipe and baseboards if it's going to be too cold to watch tv and hang out down there. My question is how cold does it get where you are at ? If many days below about 25 to 30 deg F , that mini-split will probably not be able to make enough heat, especially at 25 and below. For the southern half of the US they usually work fine in many areas, but it does not get below 25 for too many days. Efficiency wise (and cost wise), you're probably spot on, Ralph. But it being a split A/C and Heatpump would suggest to me that the unit has a built-in resistance unit for just those cold snaps you suggest. OTOH, depending upon just how much of the walkout basement is exposed at grade, he may not need a helluva lot of heat to raise an average year round ground temp (below frost line) to the 65 - 70 degree range. |
#6
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Heating finished basement: add hydronic zone or use AC/heat pump?
On Thu, 14 May 2015 19:13:37 -0500, Unquestionably Confused
wrote: On 5/14/2015 7:01 PM, Ralph Mowery wrote: wrote in message ... Hi. I'm finishing my basement (open floor plan, 800sqft, walk-out, full height, cinderblock walls, no water issues, in New York). It will have 2" EPS insulation on interior of cinderblock walls, covered with sheetrock. I have hydronic radiators in main floor of the house (oil-fired boiler) and I also have just installed a mini-split A/C & Heat pump system for all rooms of house with capacity for one more unit of 18,000BTU. I'm going to install that last one to air condition the basement. My question is: should I rely on that mini-split to heat the basement, or should I install a new hydronic zone for the basement and install some baseboards? I just don't want to be done and then have to tear open walls to install pipe and baseboards if it's going to be too cold to watch tv and hang out down there. My question is how cold does it get where you are at ? If many days below about 25 to 30 deg F , that mini-split will probably not be able to make enough heat, especially at 25 and below. For the southern half of the US they usually work fine in many areas, but it does not get below 25 for too many days. Efficiency wise (and cost wise), you're probably spot on, Ralph. But it being a split A/C and Heatpump would suggest to me that the unit has a built-in resistance unit for just those cold snaps you suggest. OTOH, depending upon just how much of the walkout basement is exposed at grade, he may not need a helluva lot of heat to raise an average year round ground temp (below frost line) to the 65 - 70 degree range. We KNOW the hydronic will do the job. We SUSPECT the mi i-split will need to run the electric coils at least part time to do the job if it is capable of doing the job. I'd put in the hydronics. The mini-split will still be used for AC - correct???. If so, the mini-split can provide heat when the basement is a bit cool in the summer /spring/fall and the hydronic boiler is not fired up. |
#7
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Heating finished basement: add hydronic zone or use AC/heat pump?
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#8
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Heating finished basement: add hydronic zone or use AC/heat pump?
On Thursday, May 14, 2015 at 8:01:16 PM UTC-4, Ralph Mowery wrote:
wrote in message ... Hi. I'm finishing my basement (open floor plan, 800sqft, walk-out, full height, cinderblock walls, no water issues, in New York). It will have 2" EPS insulation on interior of cinderblock walls, covered with sheetrock. I have hydronic radiators in main floor of the house (oil-fired boiler) and I also have just installed a mini-split A/C & Heat pump system for all rooms of house with capacity for one more unit of 18,000BTU. I'm going to install that last one to air condition the basement. My question is: should I rely on that mini-split to heat the basement, or should I install a new hydronic zone for the basement and install some baseboards? I just don't want to be done and then have to tear open walls to install pipe and baseboards if it's going to be too cold to watch tv and hang out down there. My question is how cold does it get where you are at ? If many days below about 25 to 30 deg F , that mini-split will probably not be able to make enough heat, especially at 25 and below. For the southern half of the US they usually work fine in many areas, but it does not get below 25 for too many days. If it was above ground, I would agree that would be a major consideration. But it's a basement. My basement is about 55F all winter, here in the NYC area. So, it's not going to take much to keep it warm. Still hyrdronic would likely have a lower operating cost, especially if it's gas fired. But then they need the minisplit system for AC anyway and we don't know what the payback time is for adding the hydronic would be. I think that's the governing factor. Also the hydronic lasts a long time, the ms AC not as long. How much of one of those systems life spans is determined by usage as opposed to just it's age, IDK, but assuming usage for heat shortens it's life, then that may be another factor in favor of hydronic. |
#9
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Heating finished basement: add hydronic zone or use AC/heat pump?
We KNOW the hydronic will do the job. We SUSPECT the mi i-split will
need to run the electric coils at least part time to do the job if it is capable of doing the job. I'd put in the hydronics. The mini-split will still be used for AC - correct???. If so, the mini-split can provide heat when the basement is a bit cool in the summer /spring/fall and the hydronic boiler is not fired up. I was leaning in the same direction. |
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