Hi, I'm new.
It's gotten cold quickly, and we weren't prepared. We have been looking to add a big gas heating stove to our apartment, and now we have to make a decision. We have been told by the city that we must choose a direct vented heating unit - no compromise on this, we are right downtown and we must follow their directions. I am looking at direct vent gas stoves and direct vent gas furnaces, but I'm afraid of buying too small and regretting it.
The building we are in is 100 years old and brick. We have r30 insulation under the roof, but the place is far from airtight. It's a 64x20 apartment, so we're at just under 1300 sq ft. I'm seeing a lot of gas stoves rated at 40k BTUS, and their literature says they will heat 1800 sq ft. I'm just afraid that they aren't talking about 1800 sq ft of old construction with dismal R value.
I'm looking at getting a Napoleon GDS50, at 44K BTUs. But I'm also looking at a Williams 60k BTU direct vent furnace, and though the furnace isn't nearly as attractive, I will be sick if I buy the smaller heat output and we're still too cold. I have two little girls and the place has hardwood floors, so I want them to be able to feel warm in bare feet for most of the winter. This apartment is very open and has a loft feel, so I would prefer a visually appealing system to keep the homey feel. But if a gas stove just can't keep a space this size good and warm, I'll have to go with the uglier and warmer system.
I am planning on putting some hydronic baseboard heat in the bathroom and another spot or two so that the distance from the main heat source won't leave those rooms uncomfortably cold. We also have mini-splits wirth heat pumps, which handle fall and mild winter well, but last year they were overpowered and there were nights that it got down to 51 degrees in our apartment. My wife and girls had to move out while I patrolled the building at night trying to keep pipes from freezing.
If you have recommendations on certain stoves or furnaces, I will happily hear advice, but here is my big question - will at 40k BTU gas stove heat a poorly insulated 64x20 brick box? If you are sure that a gas stove that size can handle it, please tell me. If you don't think so, please tell me. We have an opportunity to purchase a system tomorrow, and our weather is warming back up for long enough to get it delivered and installed. But I must choose a system tonight and order tomorrow. And I really appreciate any knowledgeable input. It got down to 11 degrees outside last night, and I know from living through last winter that we must get more heat in here right now.
I know there are tons of variables, so let me give you some more info to answer possible questions about our setup. We're in the upper floor over a business, and there is no heat under our floor at the moment. The 64x20 is divided into rooms, but most rooms have sliding windows built into the walls above the door level, so that heat can exchange easily from room to room. There is no possibility of putting forced air into the apartment, and no ductwork either. It will require a heat source in the main room, and of course the further from it the colder it will be. I'm in southern Illinois, so the winters aren't deadly but they're colder and more bitter all the time. I myself am comfortable with a room that only gets above 70 in the winter, but my wife and kids like it pretty toasty, and since the thermometer can hang below zero for over a week during winter here, I want to be able to cope with that and feel like I did the right thing.
Thanks again for any help with this decision. I will check back and see what you all write before I place my order.
It's gotten cold quickly, and we weren't prepared. We have been looking to add a big gas heating stove to our apartment, and now we have to make a decision. We have been told by the city that we must choose a direct vented heating unit - no compromise on this, we are right downtown and we must follow their directions. I am looking at direct vent gas stoves and direct vent gas furnaces, but I'm afraid of buying too small and regretting it.
The building we are in is 100 years old and brick. We have r30 insulation under the roof, but the place is far from airtight. It's a 64x20 apartment, so we're at just under 1300 sq ft. I'm seeing a lot of gas stoves rated at 40k BTUS, and their literature says they will heat 1800 sq ft. I'm just afraid that they aren't talking about 1800 sq ft of old construction with dismal R value.
I'm looking at getting a Napoleon GDS50, at 44K BTUs. But I'm also looking at a Williams 60k BTU direct vent furnace, and though the furnace isn't nearly as attractive, I will be sick if I buy the smaller heat output and we're still too cold. I have two little girls and the place has hardwood floors, so I want them to be able to feel warm in bare feet for most of the winter. This apartment is very open and has a loft feel, so I would prefer a visually appealing system to keep the homey feel. But if a gas stove just can't keep a space this size good and warm, I'll have to go with the uglier and warmer system.
I am planning on putting some hydronic baseboard heat in the bathroom and another spot or two so that the distance from the main heat source won't leave those rooms uncomfortably cold. We also have mini-splits wirth heat pumps, which handle fall and mild winter well, but last year they were overpowered and there were nights that it got down to 51 degrees in our apartment. My wife and girls had to move out while I patrolled the building at night trying to keep pipes from freezing.
If you have recommendations on certain stoves or furnaces, I will happily hear advice, but here is my big question - will at 40k BTU gas stove heat a poorly insulated 64x20 brick box? If you are sure that a gas stove that size can handle it, please tell me. If you don't think so, please tell me. We have an opportunity to purchase a system tomorrow, and our weather is warming back up for long enough to get it delivered and installed. But I must choose a system tonight and order tomorrow. And I really appreciate any knowledgeable input. It got down to 11 degrees outside last night, and I know from living through last winter that we must get more heat in here right now.
I know there are tons of variables, so let me give you some more info to answer possible questions about our setup. We're in the upper floor over a business, and there is no heat under our floor at the moment. The 64x20 is divided into rooms, but most rooms have sliding windows built into the walls above the door level, so that heat can exchange easily from room to room. There is no possibility of putting forced air into the apartment, and no ductwork either. It will require a heat source in the main room, and of course the further from it the colder it will be. I'm in southern Illinois, so the winters aren't deadly but they're colder and more bitter all the time. I myself am comfortable with a room that only gets above 70 in the winter, but my wife and kids like it pretty toasty, and since the thermometer can hang below zero for over a week during winter here, I want to be able to cope with that and feel like I did the right thing.
Thanks again for any help with this decision. I will check back and see what you all write before I place my order.
