OWB, can I make it work in a house with no duct work?

[Marshy]

Whats a mini-split?

 

[Paragon Builder]

Whats a mini-split?

 

[cantoo]

Just put your own ductwork in. You're getting a deal so spent a few bucks and some time and do it right. Or just run water lines and use rads. It isn't hard. I bought a used owb, installed the lines, rads, water heaters etc by myself. Yeah, I might burn a more wood than having some expensive ahole design something but don't really care much about that. My paybck is going to be pretty short, well on the own end of things it is. The amount of crap I bought to cut and split wood will never be paid back in my lifetime. And that also ok with me.

 

[Paragon Builder]

Most supply houses will do a heat loss for free so you know how many btus you need in each room.

 

[Ikeholt]

I've had the hot water baseboard heaters for 15 years running from my OWB. They work great, don't cost that much and can be installed much easier than duct work.

 

[NSMaple1]

If you do decide to go boiler - it's a lot easier to pull some pex than put up ductwork. And you should be able to find some used baseboard or even cast iron rads (those things really put out some nice heat) locally. Around here, it seems new mini-splits are obsoleting almost every other heating system and there is a lot of good used equipment out there for the getting.

 

[066blaster]

Maybe I'll just invest in blankets and long underwear. If the wife and kids thought I was a heat natzi before..just wait

 

[Johnny Yooper]

The amount of crap I bought to cut and split wood will never be paid back in my lifetime. And that also ok with me.

A guy can spend his money on a lot worse things than that.

 

[greenskeeper]

I'd try a stove or two before going any further and see how it does. On the lower level the heat may work it's way up all by itself. A floor plan of the house would help.