Sm1ley
Member
It sounds like you made a decision, but I would echo what others have said. If you're concerned about moisture in the basement, moving that air to the upstairs mold might be an issue.
Personally, I would look at moving to a new on demand boiler that runs on propane (if natural gas isn't available). If you find the right one it could also double as your water heater. That will likely save the most money in the long run as it would be 95% efficient. Rinnani makes a unit that is $2,000 at Home Depot. I'm pretty sure you could get the rest of your costs within $4,000.
Rinnai E Series 75,000 BTU boiler
*Edit* - I want to add. I love heating with pellets, it is fun, but I'm supplementing electric baseboard heat. I don't have radiators in place, a gas line, or an existing boiler. I also live in climate where during the day, the average high in January is 32F, with lots of sun. So, I don't have to contend with many 10F days, therefore my delta is smaller than yours. That means my efficiency gains are not as great.
Personally, I would look at moving to a new on demand boiler that runs on propane (if natural gas isn't available). If you find the right one it could also double as your water heater. That will likely save the most money in the long run as it would be 95% efficient. Rinnani makes a unit that is $2,000 at Home Depot. I'm pretty sure you could get the rest of your costs within $4,000.
Rinnai E Series 75,000 BTU boiler
*Edit* - I want to add. I love heating with pellets, it is fun, but I'm supplementing electric baseboard heat. I don't have radiators in place, a gas line, or an existing boiler. I also live in climate where during the day, the average high in January is 32F, with lots of sun. So, I don't have to contend with many 10F days, therefore my delta is smaller than yours. That means my efficiency gains are not as great.
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