Ok lets get some DIY going on, someone tell me about heating options

[Lionheart]

There are multi-zone mini splits available.
SUPER cheap to operate...my 1 ton 21 SEER Mutsu system in a 400 sq ft un-insulated sun room works awesome.
But it does require 220v...had the heat on this morning.
Shown upper right corner...

View attachment 2344914

Very nice sunroom. Could you post a better pic of the unit? How much do they cost?

 

[Comanche]

Man I have an old boiler with hot water baseboard heat.
They’re basically a copper water pipe with hundreds of square fins with a hole in the middle that are attached to the pipe that acts as heat amplifiers.
This is encased in long metal covers with a flap to open and close.
Controlled with a low voltage thermostat on the wall.
The entire boiler is ran off of natural gas and the only draw on electricity is the pump motor which pulls roughly 3 amps.
Requires a water source which has a regulator.
This is a pretty inexpensive system and will heat you out of the house in no time.
The modern systems are even more efficient but I love this old boiler.
Pretty much the only maintenance is oiling the pump motor and pump bearing with 3in1 oil.
It’s self bleeding and easy to work on if any parts need replaced.

 

[CBH13]

My Single story country house is +/- 850 heated-cooled sq-ft and I’ve been using the Frigidaire window unit that Lowes sells for $650 (pd $450 with a dent that I repaired myself) used it for 1 year at my office and now on 2nd year at house, heating and cooling. Is 30-amp 230 volt wiring, 8 amps cooling and 22 amps max heat for 16,000 BTU. I don’t think it’s a heat pump, rather I can look in the vents and see an orange glow, so I assume coils of wire for heating, and I don’t ever hear the compressor kick on in heat mode.

The electric heat or cool will run me out, I turn down 68 night and 71 day. Downside is the fan is more noisy than I’d care for but mini-split estimates were $6500-9000 and I’m very frugal. My bedroom is at the far end of the house and I like to sleep in cooler room anyway.

my house is very well insulated \ 4” thick exterior walls with RockWool packed solid, 10” RockWool in attic, hardy board exterior siding over OSB plywood, I have no drafts, in fact I always leave window over the sink open 1.5 to 2 inches for fresh air and for the clothes dryer to breathe. My electric bills are around $225 per month average year round.

yes, I’d replace this window unit with the same (if it broke) rather than paying 10-times more for a 3-head mini-split.

I do have a non-vented propane wall heater in case power goes out but I’m on Ga Power so knock on wood, not on the less reliable Rayle EMC.

I’d say it depends on the shape/layout of your home. My unit is on the great-room (kitchen/living room/dining room) end of house and blows straight through the middle of house toward the hallway (bathroom & laundry rooms) terminating with my bedroom at the end. Like I said the fan is noticeable and might bother some folks.

i've debated switching both of my window units to ones with heat and seeing if that was enough. the units are plenty for cooling during hte summer months, i'd just like to heat a little better in the winter.

As an update to this thread im in the middle of some projects to fix this. right now im getting my breaker box swapped out before i do any real work as its still the old screw in fuse kind, after that i've already got a 220 outlet i dont use to im gonna go ahead and use it to hard wire a 4000w in wall heater

 

[William A. Ellis]

I used to use 3 ceramic heaters to heat a 1500 sq ft house. They were pretty good at being efficient.

 

[Granite3]

Super cheap heat only- Oil Radiator - https://www.walmart.com/ip/Comfort-...-Heat-Settings-and-Silent-Operation/577177096

Need one for every 500 sq ft. Heated my condo during my divorce, electric heat cost $190/month, dropped to less than $50/month total bill running them, (2). A/C was about $60 a month using central, but electric heat (no heat pump) cost a lot! Did a fine job heating.

My old house, bought a mini split heat pump/AC unit for my Sunroom. Added insulated windows for the old screens, no ceiling or wall insulation, it was good on all but the hottest days and sub 25 degree days.

Mini split was $699 for a ~18k btu unit, and cost me $600 to install. Had an old pool filled in and the 220/208 junction box was 5 feet away not being used.