Furnace vs Electric heat on Rehab

[Jeremy Marshall]

I am currently doing a complete rehab on a duplex (side by side) in Canandaigua (Finger Lakes). I intended to BRRRR this property after the rehab is done.

Here is the issue that I am looking for feed back:

Each duplex has separate furnaces.  One furnace is shot and needs all new duct work.  Neither apartment has any duct to the upstairs where the bedrooms are.  After getting some HVAC estimates ($13k) I am trying to figure out what is my best solution.  I am considering selling the one good furnace and not run any ductwork to the apartments and replace the system with electric baseboard heat (or any other suggestions that you may have).

My concern is tenant push back on higher electric bills for heat. What is your take on all of this?

Thanks in advance!

[Jim Goebel]

@Jeremy Marshall

Is there a place to run a duct chase?  (supply/return)?  Can you build one?

Often you can get duct runs up to an attic, then branch out from there.  Need to make sure insulation is solid in attic, and your CFM and btu/hr is high enough to handle the head pressure it has to supply to push that air up that much vertically.  Can be done though.

Hire out the duct work separately.

Do that first, and don't take any BS by people trying to scare you.  The calcs for duct sizing by room size are SUPER SUPER simple.  You literally just reference a chart for a certain square footage and then a corresponding cross sectional size of the duct is what you need to supply that square footage.  Don't be intimidated there.

If you hire the duct out separately, and do that first (you need to make sure that where your supply/return pop out into your area(s) with the furnace/central air, that they can tie into the plenum....

But if you hire that separately. you can cut your costs in probably 1/3 there.

Then you hire the installation of the actual central units.  Hire someone that's willing to do it based on where you're at in the project.  If you need to permit, have that conversation with them in advance.

I'd think instead of 13k you could be closer to 7-8k going this route of course I haven't seen your setup yet.

On the electrical, sure, that's an option.  You'd have to look at proximity to panels, metering, etc there too as you'd have some load (copper wires) to likely pull.

It typically costs a lot more to heat using electricity vs NG, so I guess you'd be passing that along to the tenants?