All Forum Posts by: Socrates Ayvaliotis

Thanks Diane for the advice.  

Do you have any concerns for a mini-split operating in cold temperatures (sub 15 degrees)?  Will this require extra insulation in a home of this age?

Also, any advice for common areas? We have just one stairway, would you exclude them from the footprint.

Hi -

I am currently under contract for a 1960's era home in Jersey City.  The home has a central Oil-Fired furnace which provides both heat and hot water to all three units. The current owner has agreed to remove the oil tank, but will require us to provide heating to the building. 

I intend to owner occupy for one year, and subsequently rent the building out in future years. It would be highly preferable to have these split, but if the cost of renovation is too high, will bite the bullet and bake heating and hot water into the tenant's rents.

The current boiler room is on the ground floor, so can convert this into a bedroom should we find an alternative 

We have narrowed down the options to the following:

1. Installing a central Gas fired furnace:

Advantage:  Appears to be cheapest, will allow us to use existing hot-water piping

Disadvantage: Will hurt re-sale value for three family without splitting, will require re-lining of chimney, will have to cover the tenant's heating/hot water cost, no air conditioning, cannot convert into 2nd bedroom

2. Installing a mini-split system with high efficiency hot water heaters in a closet on each floor

Advantage: Provides both heat and AC, will permit converting ground unit into a 2BR, splits utilities for each tenant

Disadvantage: Will require closet space, (potentially in a bedroom/bathroom), unsure if Mini-split system will be strong enough for the Winters where temperatures can dip below 15F occasionally. 

3. Installing a gas fired combi-boiler/hot water heater on each floor with baseboard heating

Advantage: Relatively low cost of installation , no concerns regarding winter heating, splits the units heating hot water costs, would allow for conversion of 2nd floor bedroom

Disadvantage: No AC, will require a large amount of storage, and would require to take up a bedroom closet to do so in each unit

Currently we are favoring option 2, but any suggestions from any contractors who have performed similar work?