elena_gildina

Space Heating an Art Deco House: Flued Gas vs Electric vs Aircon

Elena Gildina
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago

I would love your help with this dilema - all thoughts/ideas are very appreciated! We are stuck :(


I am renovating an art-deco house with lots of original features (floor, ceiling, windows).

Large living rooms have 2 bricked up fireplaces, with no external flues/outlets/chimneys.

There is no heating or cooling anything installed in the house and we would love to be warm in winter. Can cool the house via x-ventilation but cannot heat it up.


We will be installing solar panels + solar battery and will have plenty of free solar energy to use. We also currently have gas connection that we would love to get rid off.


DILEMMA: What sort of cooling or heating to install?


1. Install flued gas heaters - seems pointless given that the rest of the house is electric + has free solar energy. Huge outlay on install but not the right thing long term BUT most effective at heating the space + looks the nicest. We'll be stuck paying gas connection charge for the whole year even though will only use heating for max 3 months of the year.


2. Install electric heaters - cheapest, looks OKish (not nearly as nice as gas), heats space OK. BUT will be free/very cheap to run given solar energy, so a huge plus there. All else is average.


3. Install aircon - cheap/free to run on solar and very effective at heating and cooling BUT looks awful. No unobtrusive spot to install it in, will destroy the character and beauty of the house and its features AND I will still have 2 empty bricked up fireplaces to look at in both living rooms


What to do......?!!!!!! Invest in old but effective gas technology? Wait another cold winter to see if something better comes on a market? Is there another electric heating source that is more complimentary to old homes that I need to investigate?


Huge thanks for all your responses!!

Comments (6)

  • bigreader
    2 years ago

    I have an old house with curved fire place and ornate cornices so some Art Deco features. I would suggest ducted aircon for heating and cooling. You can also get electric ducted heating through the floor if that suits you more. Both would be expensive to run without solar. Are you planning batteries? I’m planning to abolish my gas connection when I renovate and have solar and split systems (would prefer ducted but it may not work with the house).

  • Elena Gildina
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Hi! Yes, both solar pannels + battery are coming soon :)
    Do you find that ducting works well from an appearance point of view ie does not detract from the house?

  • bigreader
    2 years ago

    I have upgraded floor grills in aged bronze that work with the floor boards and are very unobtrusive. I would say that they are the most aesthetically pleasing option. For atmosphere you may be able to add an electric log-look fire to one of the fireplaces. Their appearance has improved dramatically over the last few years. I have a real log combustion fire in my fireplace. It is absolutely lovely to have on a winters day but does come with maintenance and is not practical for everyday use.

  • rocksfam
    2 years ago

    Is hydronic heating an option? I have seen this in an Art Deco house and it suited the architecture but does have limitations.

  • bigreader
    2 years ago

    Hydronic is an absolutely lovely heat and being a closed system doesn’t have dust but it’s incredibly expensive to install. Not everyone likes the wall panels either. I’d put up with them if I had the money to install it though.

  • Elena Gildina
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    oohhh....I haven't thought about hydronic heating! Thank you!