When you add space, you may need to upgrade your heating system.
This time of year, you should be deeply involved in the plans for your spring and summer projects. Our article on "Planning for Spring Projects" covers planning, timing, budgeting, and choosing a contractor, and it points out that now is the time to get on your contractor's schedule if you want to get any major project completed by a specific deadline.
If your plans include adding more living space to your home, whether it's finishing the attic or basement, breaking through into an attached shed or garage, or putting on a completely new ell, one of the side effects you can't afford to overlook is the increased heating load. Will your current heating system be able to handle it?
The Well Designed Heating System
In a well designed home, the heating system is sized to match the living space. It needs to be able to provide enough heat to keep all the rooms comfortable in the dead of winter, while using as little fuel or electricity as possible. If the heating system is too small, it has to work overtime to provide enough heat. This will result in some rooms being too chilly and can shorten the life of the system. Paradoxically, it can also waste energy, because it's not running at its most efficient rate.
On the other hand, a heating system that's too large is also less efficient, because it cycles less frequently than it's designed for. The architect or heating/mechanical engineer probably knew this when he designed the system for your home. Unless they had specific instructions to plan for an addition a few years down the road, the current system is likely to be too small for the addition of your dreams.
Upgrades to Your Heating System
A good heating/mechanical contractor will be able to tell you if your heating system needs an upgrade after he has seen your plans. (And your general contractor should be able to recommend one or two specialists to contact.) If the answer is yes, the next question is, what type of upgrade should I install?
If you have either a radiant-hot-water or a forced-hot-air system, you have the option of replacing the furnace or boiler and then running ducts or pipes into the new living space. However, there are other options to consider that may be cheaper and more energy efficient.
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