Wow MN Renovator. That's a lot of good info and I greatly appreciate that.
Obviously I'm no engineer or I wouldn't be here. I've always considered myself DIY savy until I started reading some of the DIY heat pump posts by AC Hacker and Randen. Wow!
I've done quite a bit of wasted remodeling on this 100 yr old house and my fiancé and I decided we should persue something far more efficient. We plan on staying here the rest of our days(in our mid 40's) so I'm in a major research mode to come to an affordable solution.
I've never lived in nor have I known anyone with a high efficiency house so I am pretty much lost on what it takes to heat/ cool. Most houses here are barely built to code with 2X4 and R13 batts with an oversized HVAC.
Maybe I misunderstood just how well(or not well) these passive solar designs are with heating/cooling.
I just wasn't sure if it was going to take a big hog of a typical forced air system or be able to heat it with small ceramic space heaters. I guess I was just looking for an idea of what to expect.
We certainly want it inexpensive to heat and cool even if it takes some initial up front costs rolled into the loan.
Right now we are on an electric budget of $281 per month year round and they are suggesting we bump that up!! ouch!
Thank you for all your time and suggestions. You are spot on with the door types and ceiling height. I was planning on quality energy star doors and windows for the entries and north/west.
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