Learn about Downflow / Horizontal
Copyright 2008 Alpine Home Air Products www.AlpineHomeAir.com 6
make high eciency models. However, they are an aordable
and convenient way to heat warehouses, garages and work-
shops.
6) Electric Baseboard Heaters
Baseboard electric heaters are narrow units that attach to the
wall of a room along the baseboard and radiate heat. Usually
one or more baseboard heater is installed in each room. These
heaters have no moving parts, and operate entirely on electric-
ity, either 110v or 220v. They are inexpensive to purchase, and
easy to install in newly constructed or renovated homes where
running high voltage wiring through the walls is feasible.
While electric baseboard heaters are quite inexpensive to pur-
chase, they are costly to operate, since they are not an ecient
use of electricity compared to other electrical heating options
such as heat pumps. Also, since wiring has to be provided to
each unit, it is not usually practical to install them in homes
that are already built. They are not usually recommended as a
primary source of heating for an entire home.
Electric baseboard heat is a good option in room additions that
are being constructed when an inexpensive heater is needed.
7) Mini-Split System
Mini-split systems have been popular in Europe and Asia for a
long time, and in recent years have gained rapid popularity in
the USA. Mini-splits require no ductwork. A mini-split provides
cooling, and if it is a heat pump type, it will provide heating
too. A mini-split is made up of two components, the outdoor
condenser, and the indoor air handler which mounts to the wall
of a room. The system temperature is operated by a remote
control.
Mini-split systems are a great choice if you want to heat and
cool:
A room addition, such as a sun room•
A small apartment or small home that doesn’t have ductwork•
Size
Furnaces come in dierent sizes. Generally speaking, big homes
need big furnaces, and small homes need small furnaces. Sizes
are rated in BTUs (British Thermal Units) listed in thousands,
such as 70,000 BTU (a mid-sized gas furnace). Furnace sizes
move up in about 20,000 BTU increments, so you select the size
closest to your needs since an exact BTU size isn’t available or
even necessary. Furnace labels often show furnace “input” BTU
ratings as well as “output” BTU. “Output” means how much heat
the furnace will actually put into the home, and is the BTU list-
ing you will want to note when selecting a new home furnace.
How do you know what size furnace is right for you? There are
several ways to nd out, some which are more accurate than
others:
1) Manual J Load Calculation
This is a scientic approach and is the most accurate. It consists
of taking information about your home’s constructions mate-
rials, insulation levels, sizes of rooms, etc., and then makes a
calculation based on those to determine the appropriate heat-
ing and cooling requirements needed. You can purchase online
software from a software provider at this link if you wish to use
this method. It will take several hours to calculate it this way.
2) Use the Sizing Estimator.
This is an online tool that will give you a quick, rough estimate.
It won’t be exact, but when used in connection with other
information it can provide a fairly close approximation.
3) Compare your home to similar homes in your area.
Does you neighbor have the same size home as you? If he has
a properly sized furnace, then the same size unit may also work
for you.