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Community and Q&A

What is the best heating and cooling plan for renovating an old building into apartments?

aaronhirshberg | Posted in GBA Pro Help on

We currently have central forced air that has the ductwork going through the cold attic, and the suspended ceiling. I would like to tear out the suspended ceiling and put up drywall over the old broken lathe and plaster.

Should I run new duct work under the floor to floor registers (we have room for this since there is space above the ground floor’s suspended ceiling).

Or should I install electric baseboard heat, and a mini split A/C unit.

Another option is to run Pex tubing up from an existing gas boiler in the basement and add old cast iron radiators. But then we would still need an A/C unit for each apartment.

This is a 1930’s brick building located in zone 5A or Southeast Iowa.

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Replies

  1. GBA Editor
    Martin Holladay | | #1

    Aaron,
    You've got a big basket of apples and oranges there, don't you?

    These are very basic questions. Here's my advice:

    1. First, choose a fuel. Electric baseboard heat is much more expensive than most other options. Does your building have access to natural gas?

    2. After you have chosen a fuel, talk to a mechanical engineer you trust. If you really have no idea whether you prefer electric baseboard heat, a boiler, a furnace, or ductless minisplits, you need to sit down with a patient expert and have a long conversation.

    3. Before you sit down with an engineer, you might want to read these articles from the GBA Encyclopedia:

    Heating Options

    Heat Pumps

    Ductless Minisplit Heat Pumps

    Boilers

    Furnaces

    Forced Air HVAC Systems

    Hydronic Systems

    Space Heaters

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