There is no central heating or cooling system installed in my house.
- The house is over two hundred years old and the walls were constructed with the studs turned sideways to create more living space.
Because of this, there isn’t enough space to accommodate conventional ductwork. In the area where we are located, we can get by with portable air conditioners, box fans and open windows in the summer. However, the demands of the winter weather are a huge challenge. We deal with temperatures down to twenty-five below zero, and the cold weather often lasts for six months straight. We’ve combined different types of heaters to combat the freezing cold and heat the home. In the living room, we installed a natural gas fireplace, which is both aesthetic and effective. It provides a great deal of heat and keeps that area of the home quite comfortable. In the kitchen, we have a compact, natural gas, ventless heater. I am not satisfied with the performance of this little heater. It is a single-stage model, which means that it is only capable of operating at one speed. When the temperature in the kitchen drops, the ventless heaters starts up and blasts at maximum capacity until it achieves the thermostat setting. It then shuts off until the temperature drops again. This causes very unpleasant and continual temperature fluctuation. The ventless heating also creates a film on the windows in the kitchen. I have a set of French doors leading to the kitchen that include twenty small panes of glass. During the winter, these windows continually look cloudy and require weekly cleaning. The ventless heater further demands a great deal of maintenance. I need to make sure to clean the air filters every few days. Otherwise, the filters become clogged and the heater refuses to shut down. It blinks a red light and runs non stop. I worry about it overheating and becoming a safety risk.