Adding heat to already existing air conditioning system?

5 years ago

Hello,

The home I recently purchased uses a hot water boiler system with radiators on the first floor and baseboards for a room on the second floor. We have an additional room on the second floor and two rooms on the third floor that are currently using electric baseboards for heat. The house already has central AC installed. It is setup in two zones - one unit for the 1st floor and the second unit for the 2nd & 3rd floors.

The heat from the boiler works well for the 1st floor and the one bedroom. The electric baseboard heat leaves a lot to be desired. I would love to leave the boiler heating system untouched and remove all the electric baseboard heaters from the 2nd & 3rd floors. I am wondering if it is possible to use the ducts currently in place for the second zone for forced heat. The air handler is located in a storage room up on the 3rd floor. I live in Pennsylvania so I have plenty of nights where the temperature is in the low 20's or below. All the rooms in this zone together total to about 1,000sf. Do I have any reasonable options here?

Thanks in advance!

Featured Answer

mike_home

5 years ago

Given the installed duct work, air handler, and 1000 sq. foot area, my suggestion would be to replace the existing AC condenser with a heat pump. This will provide both heating and cooling. If the air handler uses the newer 410a refrigerant, then it would make sense to keep it. If it uses the old R22 refrigerant, then will need to replace it. You will need to install electric heat strips in either case. You will also need to replace the thermostat if the current one does not support a heat pump. Once the heat pump is installed the electric base board can be removed. The heating cost will be about a third of the cost of using the electric baseboards. Depending on usage the pay back period could be short. If you install a high efficiency system you may be eligible for a utility or state rebate.

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Comments (6)

Natalie Huynh
Original Author
5 years ago
Hi Mike,

I appreciate the information. I will definitely be looking into the heat pump.

Thanks.
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Bruce in Northern Virginia
5 years ago
What type of boiler do you have (gas, oil, electric?).

Based on your temperature range, an all-electric heat pump will work most of the time, but it will require supplemental heat as the temps drop into the 20's. With an all-electric system the supplemental heat is an electric heat strip, and frequent use of the electric resistance heat strip will cost you much more in electricity during cold periods.

Another alternative would be a heat pump with gas or propane supplemental heat, and this is usually marketed as a dual-fuel system. It will cost more to purchase and install, but can more easily handle low temperatures because it will automatically use the gas or propane heating when needed.

Bruce
Natalie Huynh thanked Bruce in Northern Virginia
Elmer J Fudd
5 years ago
Call out a few HVAC contractors and get specific suggestions and prices from people who have put their eyeballs on your situation. Good luck.
Natalie Huynh thanked Elmer J Fudd
Natalie Huynh
Original Author
5 years ago
Hello Bruce,

The boiler is a gas boiler, so it sounds like the gas supplemental heat could be an option. If it is capable of easily handling the colder temps then it might be worth the extra upfront costs.

I appreciate your response.
Victoria Baker
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
My dad has tried to add some head to his air conditioner system, however it did not end well. I do not really remember what happened, but I know that he messed up the entire air conditioning system, and he had to get a new one! He was so freaking annoyed, my mother was also ... in a bad mood, let's call it like that :DDD. Since then, my dad is not even touching the air conditioners, not even the remotes! Every single time, when something is not working fine, he is getting them to a ac repair, and not even trying to repair it by himself.