Electric Baseboard Heat vs AC/Heat window unit

[Stefan A]

I am currently having my basement finished. It will be insulated and it is 1/2 below grade, 1/2 above. In the winter, even with no insulation, it does not go below 50 degrees F even when it's in the 20's or teens outside. I have no ductwork in my house and I don't want to put it in. Although I could use a stove, I just want something I don't have to think about much - I already do wood stove in the main house and I don't want 2 stoves. So, I originally was going to get electric baseboard heat. But because it gets musty down there in the summer - even with a dehumidifier, I think I would like to put in an AC window unit. Then it occurred to me that you can buy AC units with heat. The room is about 450 square feet. My questions is how do these 2 choices compare? Which one will heat the best? Which one will cost the least in the long run? I have no experience with the ac/heat units so I don't know what to expect.

Thanks,
Stefan

 

[begreen]

If the a/c unit uses a resistance heater than it is no different from a baseboard heater. If the a/c unit runs reverse cycle as a heat pump, then it may be more efficient, but probably not below freezing outside.

 

[StefanAnt]

Thanks for the info. Also, I seemed to have a real problem with my login. I tried to login and it said I was already logged in. But it still said welcome guest at the top. So I had to create this new account. I couldn't find a way to e-mail anybody about it without being logged on. Sorry.

Stefan

 

[Redox]

Hey, Stef. Welcome to the forum.

I think the unit you may be looking at is known as a PTAC (package terminal AC) that goes through the wall and may have a heat pump option. GE is the most popular brand and has a huge part of the motel/hotel business. They are not particularly quiet, efficient or long lived in my book. The heat pump portion usually cuts off below freezing and switches to resistance heat anyway. The difference between that and baseboard would be the noise part. Baseboard is (almost?) 100% silent and efficient. A PTAC is going to have a fan and may leak a lot of heat outside because the unit itself isn't very well insulated; it's really just a sheet metal box. As for the dehumidification part, if you have the heat load in the summer, you might put in a small window shaker to keep the humidity down, but a dehumidifier is going to do a better job. Window ACs aren't very good dehumidifiers, but a dehumidifier may warm up the space too much in the summer. I'd do the baseboard heat and buy a small dehumidifier and see how it goes.

Chris

 

[billb3]

I haven't seen a window or wall A/C (with or without heat) that didn't let the Winter in, in the Winter.
I'd rather have the baseboards and if I wanted A/C in the Summer, put a window (or wall) unit in and take it out and block the hole well in the Fall.

 

[Highbeam]

Will it be cheaper in the long run depends on the fuel costs, frequency of use, lifecycle of chosen units, and of course the installed cost of each appliance. If it gets into the teens in your area then you won't get any heat out of a heat pump style unit so you will need another heat source. Might as well go baseboard or even the cadet style wall heaters that use a fan.