More on HVAC Issues

Like I've said in previous posts, we're debating whether we should install central air or just baseboard heat in the upstairs of the house. We've had a couple of estimates so far, and still want to get another place or two in to check things out. We were basically told by both contractors that because the way our dormers are set up upstairs, a UNICO system is the more practical way to go. Another general problem we have is that we don't really have an attic, so there is an issue about where to put the blower unit. And where to run some of the piping. One contractor suggested that we run piping across the ceiling of the central hallway upstairs and build a drop ceiling to cover it up. 'Cause we don't have enough drop ceiling in the rest of the house.

I've seen a few good posts on HouseBlogs sites about installing a/c in old houses:

(See http://www.oldmanstreet.com/blog/?cat=2
and http://www.houseinprogress.net/archives/000610.html
and http://www.houseinprogress.net/archives/000698.html
and http://www.houseinprogress.net/archives/000922.html.)

At this point, we're taking a pretty "wait and see" approach to making a decision about this. The prospect of putting holes in walls and ceilings really freaks me out, especially with all the plaster in our house. But I also like the prospect of having whole-house temparature comfort year-round, and being able to check the "has central a/c" box when we sell the house someday.

-A

Getting Back in Gear

Wow, it has been quite a while since we posted anything. Didn't really mean for that to happen... Not much has been going on around the Smith Bungalow the past couple of months. Fall came and our jobs were busy, then winter came. We had been saying that winter would be our planning time. Now that January's finally here, we are slowly starting to get into a planning phase.

First up is the backyard. It's currently in its worst state ever:






We chopped down the jungle plant before winter hit:






We have a bunch of things we'd like to do before summertime starts:
* New fence! (Part of the current one fell over during a late fall windstorm)
* Tear out old patio blocks, old patio walls, and old clothesline posts
* Replace old concrete walkway
* Expand old patio by garage or build new patio by house
* Replace nasty old dried out patchy grass
* Configure a real garden area
* Tear out old landscaping and plant some nice shrubs and perennials

We're now starting to get some quotes in prep for spring. We are looking at a board-on-board western red cedar fence -- either 5' standard or 6' scalloped top. So far we've had two fence quotes -- they are both nearly twice as much as we thought they'd be (so I guess we were being unrealistic, because the quotes we are getting seem to be at the going rate for #1 grade western red cedar fences - $25 to $29 per linear foot).

We're also looking for concrete contractors to redo our side walkway before we get a new fence put in. No quotes yet from them.

We've also been trying to start some planning on long-term items like heating for upstairs, and debating whether to put in central air. We've been told by the HVAC contractors we've had in so far that in order to install a conventional system, we'd have to do major demolition. Seeing as all of our walls are plaster, and we want to keep those intact and keep costs down as much as possible in general, the conventional system is probably out. A UNICO system is our other option. Right now we're thinking that we'll install baseboard heating upstairs (we currently only have heat in the bathroom up there), and we can survive three potentially hot months of Chicago summer per year with window a/c units rather than plunk down a five-figure amount of cash to be completely comfortable during those months.

- A & J