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josey11

Duct Heat Pump vs Mini-split and in-floor electrical

josey11
9 years ago

I am building a new home in eastern Canada and need advise on heating and air conditioning. I am looking at a ducted heat pump vs in-floor electrical with a two zone mini-split. Heating efficiency is much more important than air conditioning. The house will be 1800 to 2000 sq. ft. ,open concept.

I am concerned about initial cost but also operating cost.

Comments (9)

  • toadman77
    9 years ago

    I have electrical ceiling
    heat and it's expensive to run. After researching on numerous sites I got a ductless hyper heat pump. The unit has been great so far. It costs a lot less. Prob between 40 to 60 percent.

  • josey11
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I was planning to use the ductless for primary heat and the in-floor for comfort. I would also need the in-floor when the ductless could not produce heat in very cold weather.

  • jackfre
    9 years ago

    You could back up the mini-split with a Rinnai Energysaver. I use that combination very effectively. The mshp's heat well, but not nearly as well as the Rinnai's

  • josey11
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Jackfre

    Interesting option for me but my wife doesn't like wall mount units. If we go with the MSHP it will be mounted in a closet with wall vents only showing.

  • josey11
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Can anyone give me a ballpark price for installing in-floor electric heat. We would be a little more expensive then North East US.

  • User
    7 years ago

    Hi josey11 - I realize this post is 18 months old but I'm hoping you're still around. I am in Atlantic Canada and have a similar question. One builder is recommending mini-splits and another is recommending electric infloor. Did you build yet, and do you have any advice based on your experience to date? Thanks!

  • jsbjab1118
    7 years ago

    Shimmerstorm

    Yes still around. We started building a few weeks ago and as of today are installing the roof trusses. We are going with both. We have installed electric inslab heating throughout the house and have ordered a mini split for the great room and one for the master.

    The mini splits will be our primary heat source with the in floor as backup in the main part of the house and as primary in areas not served by the mini splits.

    Air conditioning is critical as our view is South West and we have windows all across the back of the house.

    Where are you located, we are in the Bathurst area.





  • User
    7 years ago

    Jsbjab118,

    Congratulations on having started your build - exciting and stressful times!

    We will be building in the Truro area. House likely to be 1 and 1/2 storey with about 1400 sq feet on the main floor, built on a slab, no basement. The builder who recommended the electric infloor suggested using that in the slab, with either electric baseboard or a minisplit upstairs. Although he said we could do infloor upstairs also, in a layer of mud. In our current house we use geothermal and haven't totally ruled that out. I don't think we have much need for air conditioning, just a few weeks of the year. We will face southeast.

    Too many decisions!

    Good luck with your build.

  • mtvhike
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Just a report on my experience - I built a new house about 100 miles south of Montreal, with in-floor hydronic radiant heat, heated with an electric boiler, as my only heat source. This winter, my greatest electric use was about 3300 KWh per month, for both January and February. I turned off the boiler in early May and have consumed about 500 KWh per month since then, so my heating electric consumption is about 2800 KWh/mo. I would like to find a way to use an air-sourced heat pump to heat the water, but have been unable to find such. I am also posting a new query on this forum.