what to do

[lupin]

I have an old bungalow, 1910, and I have seperated approximatly 350 sq feet of the main floor as a studio. I occupy the remainder of the footprint, 1000 plus sq feet and heat with a wood stove. I am trying to figure out how to best heat my studio. I want to use a pellet stove, a wood stove or a gas stove but can't decide which makes the most sense. I think a pellet stove might have to work rather inefficently to heat the area requiring a lot of maintience. I would like to do a wood stove but I worry about safety issues since it will be a renter who I have little control over. Does anybody have any advice?

thanks!

 

[Prada]

With only 350sq ft any wood or pellet stove would run your renter out according to the little bit of knowledge I have. Since it's going to be for a renter and it's such a small space why don't you just put in an electric heater of some type. That would be the safest and lets face it, your going to be living in the same building if I'm reading this right and I would not want any safty worries if it were me sleeping that close to the area.

 

[begreen]

Does the house have natural gas? If yes, that seems to make the most sense here, especially if that allows you to track gas consumption for the renter.

 

[lupin]

thanks. I don't have gas and intended to get it run to the house for stove and water heater but keep changing my mind about it based on cost and non-renewable issue. I'd like to one day get solar panels , so electric (which is what I'm doing in the studio now), makes most sense. But, then I start to research best electric heaters and my head begins spinning. Currently I have, in one studio room, a reiker fan that heats and each room has a oil filled radiator type. I've been experimenting in a basement room with an oil filled heater and it seems to do the job the best when left on all the time(I let the room get to temp I want and then notch down till it maintains it, more or less and leave it there). Does anybody have any input for me on the use of elec heaters and the best they've experienced?

thanks!

 

[begreen]

There is nothing magic about electric heaters, but there is a lot of marketing disinformation. The main things you want in an electric heater are: sized to the job, safety and convenience. Ignore pitches about dry vs wet heat etc.

If this is permanent, buy 220v electric baseboard heaters correctly sized to the area. The water or oil filled type (Intertherm brand and others) are safer. They don't get as hot on the surface. This is very important in a situation where there is a chance of a curtain or bedspread getting in contact with the baseboard. By wiring them permanently you reduce the load on the regular circuits and gain the option of putting multiple heaters on a wall mounted thermostat. (This needs to be planned in advance with the electrician.) Permanent installation will keep them out of the way and being mounted, they are completely tip proof.

As far as the basement room goes, is it uninsulated? If so, insulate. Otherwise you are just heating outdoors and thus the heater will need to run continuously.