Cold Climates | Heat Cool and Insulate

What's the best heating system to install in this house?

April 28th, 2010 |

Author: Jeff

We are considering purchasing a home that has no conventional heating system and no basement. It was originally a hunter’s cabin that was added onto over the years. It’s a very interesting home with lots of great features and a LOT of land, but it basically has no heating system and no basement in which to install a furnace. This home is in Massachusetts.

The previous owners used only a wood burning stove and space heaters. I don’t want to rely on the stove, I would prefer conventional heating. What kinds of heating systems could be installed without spending megabucks?

I think electric baseboard would be the easiest, but I hear it’s not a great choice for cold climates. I’ve also heard about radiant floor heat, and found a company online that says it will only cost .50 square foot to install (the home is no more than 1500) and that seems pretty cheap, and from what I can understand, it’s more efficient? But doesn’t the floor have to be ripped up?

What would be best?
Well, it has absolutely nothing underneath the house, but it does have a decent, clean crawl space in between the 1st and 2nd floors, if that is what you mean. A system can be installed in there? There is no attic. Interesting thoughts about the radiant heat, I didn’t realize that they were water pipes.