Replies

1. 
   PlaneWood | Mar 31, 2003 05:58am | #1

   Never mind - I did a web search and found oodles and gobs of them.

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
   PlaneWood

1. 
   JeffKurtz | Mar 31, 2003 06:44pm | #2

   Mike,

   Don't know about the cost of these things, but they use them a lot in hotels and motels.  Perhaps you might find a servicable used unit that's come out of a recently remodeled building.

   Jeff

1. 
   mitch | Apr 01, 2003 12:46am | #3

   a good "motel" unit will set you back $1500-2000 installed.  i just bought one last fall for about 500 sq ft of shop space because i wanted completely separate hvac from the dusty side of the building.  it's a Carrier electric heat pump that uses 20A, 240V circuit- heat and ac- that cost about $40/mo to run 24/7 (on a thermostat, of course) through what passes for a bad winter here in western nc.  i'm pretty happy with it.  not sure what the unit alone would cost for DIY, but having seen it done, i should have done it myself instead of paying someone else, it's really simple.  fear of the unknown, you know.

   m

1. 
   PlaneWood | Apr 01, 2003 04:04am | #4

   Here in south Texas a heat pump is economical to use for winter heating.  It is an AC unit that reverses the roles of the internal and external coils blowing heat inside in the winter and cold air in the summer.  Some of them also have heating assist using electric coils.

   Several major manufacturers make such units for window or thru-wall installation.  Either 110 in the lower BTU ratings (up to 12,000) or 220 for the higher rated ones.  Costs for 12,000-15,000 BTU units are $500-$800.   They plug into installed outlets.

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood

1. 
   mitch | Apr 01, 2003 04:55am | #5

   i have one of the bigger units you describe in a thru-wall installation.  i haven't used the ac- and won't have much call to, as the shop is on wooded site- but i'm very pleased with its heating capacity.  if you go that way, don't bother paying for installation, it's very simple.

   m