HVAC Recomendations for 2 Family Rental

Not much help, but if it was me, regardless of who's going to paying the heating bills, you or the renters, I would install whichever units are the most economical to run. Installation costs would be secondary.

So, I think the first step would be to make that determination, based on different fuel costs, i.e. fuel oil, electric, natural gas, propane. Followed by efficiency ratings of varying units for each type of fuel....................and, as a future landlord, I would continue by looking at maintenance requirements, break down and repair records for various models for each fuel.

From there you should be able to break it down to maybe 3 choices.........if that. For me, I would not be so worried about the initial cost, but which system is going to be the cheapest to run, and which system is going to give me the fewest problems in the future.

A system that isn't going to break, and pays you back in the form of lower bills is going to be the one to go with.

But this is only true to a point. It is easy to be seduced into buying a much more expensive system by the siren song of efficiency. I would recommend looking at the total lifecycle cost given the installation costs, maintenance costs, and operating costs over the expected lifetime of the equipment (or your expected ownership period).

A geothermal heating and cooling system is very effecient, but I won't live long enough to realize the payback versus other systems.

Propane is getting too expensive, I have that 3.95 per gallon in north cali. Fuel Oil basically Diesel #2 have the Excursion with the 7.3 Diesel and that is getting way too expensive 5.45 per gallon here in north cali. Natural gas per therm is still the best, 1.57 - gallon for reference, or heat pump electric is at .11 cents per KW.

Consider other factors when making your choice. What good would a high-efficiency heating system be, regardless of type, if it's all leaking out your windows and doors? What about insulation? Other measures?

With the rising costs of electricity and the colder winters, I would recommend not installing electric baseboard heating. As mentioned in another reply, I would also recommend proper insulation and at least double pane thermal windows, triple pane even better.

If there is basement and attic spaces, adding forced air system is not a great problem and allows you the option to add central air at a later time, as it increases resale value and also can provide greater rental rates.

Additionally, I would suggest a tankless hot water system over a tank type. Also, if you decide to go with hot water heating, the tankless hot water system can be set up to handle this application as well as domestic hot water. I have installed many of these systems and have had great customer satisfaction with them.

Regardless of your selection, you should look at operational costs, maintenance costs not initial costs. Most of the better items on the market have a greater initial capital outlay but over the longer time, they usually end up costing less when you factor in service repairs and operating costs such as electricity and natural gas consumption over a 5-10 year term.

Try looking here www.daikin.com. They have a great line on multi zone wall and ceiling mount Heat Pump systems that will not require duct work. The units come with supplemental heat for the really cold winters.

One condenser can accommodate 10 zones.

Best of luck to you.

What type of fuels are available to you in your area?

Thanks for everyone's replies.

Fuel types available are Natural Gas, Oil and Electric.

My one friend who recommended to go with electric said his vision is to get a couple solar panels to supplement the regular electric. I'm not sure how cost effective they are right now though but tenants could see it as a plus even if it only adds a small amount of electricity.

The walls and ceilings are all open right now so it would make installing the ducts easier. (Not sure if that means it would be any cheaper on my end) We will be replacing most of the windows and adding new insulation in the walls as well.

This isn't the right project for a DIY. Unless it's located in the boonies you are going to have a building department to deal with which means getting a licensed contractor.

Do your research and find one with a solid reputation who can propose workable options to fit your budget otherwise you'll be spending more time at the rental than at home trying to satisfy justifiably upset tenants. Also you could be taking on some liability you won't enjoy if things go wrong. Tread carefully and good luck.

Lou Bindner