Guest bedroom heating options

[Vic99]

I have a 7x 15 guest bedroom at the back of my house. Initially I think the previous owner wanted to make a 3 season porch but he stopped at rough construction when his wife died. Thus when I bought it there was only rough frame.

Three years ago my buddy and I finished it off with some help from subcontractors. The room was a weird L- shape so we lopped off the small area of the L as a mudroom (maybe 4x5 ft) for the back door and kept the 7x15 run for a guest room.

Has 3 inches of closed cell spray foam (R20 ish) in the walls and ceiling and an inch of polystyrene with fiberglass glass batts (R15 ish) on underside for 2/3s of the floor. Some of the floor I couldn't get to because I'd have to tear through a ceiling from another room. Wall to wall carpeting.

We use the room for guests and storage.

There is no heating infrastructure. We keep this room closed off unless guests visit. I use wood heat, but honestly, the maze of turns the heat has to go to to get back to that room makes heating that way impractical. House has forced hot water nat. gas with a 30 yr old inefficient furnace. Since we only fire that up 12-15 times a year to help with the upstairs on the coldest days on if we go on vacation, it doesn't make sense to splice in pipes that may just freeze anyway.

I've been using a 1500W space heater and a window mount AC. This is fine 8 months of the year. We were looking at getting something more permanent that doesn't take forever to heat up. Minisplit? What do you suggest?

Thanks.

 

[woodgeek]

Not clear on whether you plan to use the room more/most of the time (e.g. someone moving in), or keep the low usage pattern and want a better solution. If the former, a mini might make sense....but if the latter (and we are talking about <20% winter usage hours, you could upsize your space heater BTUs 2-3X to electric baseboard and call it done.

 

[Dave A.]

Another option since you already have NG in the house might be a small room wall mounted heater.

Most of the lower cost ones are vent-free like this one:
(broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kozy-World-GWD104-10K-Natural-Gas-Vent-Free-Propane-Gas-Wall-Mount-Heater-/271280723057)

Some local jurisdictions don't allow the vent-free models and you should research the issues before buying since some people don't like them on principle (unvented combustion appliance), or only want them for emergency use (power outages). But they are a low cost option especially if gas supply pipes are nearby and they don't require electrical connection also they are inexpensive to operate.

 

[Ehouse]

I agree with woodgeek on electric, but given the narrow dimensions, I'd consider a radiant ceiling.

 

[semipro]

If you want to go cheap on capital outlay go electric baseboard assuming your power panel has the capacity.
Somewhat more expensive but cheaper to operate and probably nicer to be around would be some sort of direct vent NG appliance whether freestanding or wall mounted.

 

[FanMan]

A direct vent gas heater would work quite well. One of the small 7500BTU ones wold be more than adequate.

 

[ironpony]

personally I would do away with the guests.........
all good advice above.

 

[seige101]

Another option since you already have NG in the house might be a small room wall mounted heater.

Most of the lower cost ones are vent-free like this one:
(broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kozy-World-GWD104-10K-Natural-Gas-Vent-Free-Propane-Gas-Wall-Mount-Heater-/271280723057)

Some local jurisdictions don't allow the vent-free models and you should research the issues before buying since some people don't like them on principle (unvented combustion appliance), or only want them for emergency use (power outages). But they are a low cost option especially if gas supply pipes are nearby and they don't require electrical connection also they are inexpensive to operate.

Even if local codes allowed them in a house i doubt they would in a bedroom.

Personally i would never put a vent free in my house, i can small it in peoples (who use them) houses as soon as i walk in the door

 

[Dave A.]

If they're 10k BTU or less they're likely allowed in bedrooms (ie. if local jurisdictions permit them at all). I think that's the same for the direct vent models in bedrooms also 10k BTU or less.

I agree though. I don't like the vent-free units either. That's why I pointed out that the lower cost ones will prolly be vent-free models. And anyone not familiar with them might not realize what they're like-- the potential problems, like odors and sooting.

Was looking at some of the direct vent NG units and they seem to be priced around $400-500 or more in the 7500 BTU and 10k BTU sizes. So if the initial cost of the units is important, the electric baseboard or other electric resistance would prolly be the best option.

 

[flyingcow]

personally I would do away with the guests.........
all good advice above.

This is the way to go....they want to visit, have it be the summer time and bring a tent..

sorry of no help, other than put in a electric heater.

 

[tigger]

I have a room that needed a bit of a boost also. I researched a bunch of space heaters. I had read about the heaters on here from eheat.com and pulled the trigger on two of them. I have a room that's 12x12 on the north side of my house connecting my garage to my kitchen. The room is all glass(picture window and sliding doors) on two sides and the uninsulated garage on the other. I have to say I have been rather impressed with them. That room doesn't get the heat from the wood stove at the other end of the house. I costed them out through national grid (I'm in RI) at $24 a month if I ran one on high 24x7 for the entire month. They are off most of the time except when it gets really cold, which has been a lot the last 3 weeks.

 

[semipro]

I had read about the heaters on here from eheat.com and pulled the trigger on two of them.

Most of the posts I've seen here will steer you away from "high efficiency" electric heaters because there's really no such thing.
Electrical resistance heaters are all nearly 100% efficient at converting electricity to heat. That is, you'll get just as much heat from a 450 watt cheapo heater for $30 as you will from the $140 ones at eheat.com.
That said, if you bought them knowing that and liking that they're wall mounted, aesthetically pleasing, and American made then I can appreciate that.

(broken link removed to http://www.eheat.com/products/Envi-High%252dEfficiency-Whole-Room-Plug%252dIn-Electric-Panel-Heater-%28HH1012T%29.html)
(broken link removed to http://www.eheat.com/products/Envi-High%252dEfficiency-Whole-Room-Plug%252dIn-Electric-Panel-Heater-%28HH1012T%29.html)

$139.95
(broken image removed)
The envi™ Wall-Mounted Electric Panel Heater is one of the most efficient, stylish, and innovative space heaters ever developed. We have introduced four new models, including for the first time ever, the envi...

 

[flyingcow]

1500 watts is 1500 watts no matter what the unit. BUT, quality build? Built to last? That is the question. Not a clue from me by the way. I play dumb very well.

 

[tigger]

Yea having a 3 and 5 year old, I liked that they were wall mounted and safe to the touch. I don't have the fear that they will knock them over. Made in the USA is a big thing also.

 

[legrandice]

I own apartments with all kinds of different heat sources. I would get an electric heater of some kind. Anything else is going to be more maintenance and headache. Direct vent gas would be my second choice, but they do need service from time to time. For something that is only going to be used once in a while you can't beat electric.

 

[moey]

Hydronic electric baseboard would be my vote.