Electric Heat Conversions

My neighbor owns a rental house built in the early '70s with electric heat. Nobody wants to rent with electric heat. It is about 1300 sq ft on the living floor of what is called a "split entrance" or "raised ranch" in New England" There is good access from the lower level which also contains a two car garage where a small furnace could be installed.

Fuel options are oil or propane. There is an attic where it would be possible to put a small gas/hot air system but I have never seen them in cold climates. Because it was insulated for electric heat and has new insulating windows, the heating load should be moderate; probably 75,000 BTU/Hr maximum.

Has anyone ever done conversions to oil or gas. Any suggestions on what would be lowest cost for investment, and what the cost might be in an area where service plumbers get about $115 per hour. I suspect that the cost would be mostly recovered on sale as most people would not buy an all-electric house around here now.

Out here in Cincinatti some people are switching to electric heat.

Our local supplier uses coal to generate electric and not nat. gas. The rates are very low in comparison.

The hard part of what you are doing is running duct work, the plus side is you can have central air.

Best to do an actual heat load analysis. It's been awhile, but there are some pretty good free calculators on the web. It is best to know what is really required, as the biggest problem with comfort in a forced-air system is too big of a unit (same with an a/c). If you only want heat, then ducts in the floor would work out easiest. Those will work, but not very well if you think about adding a/c, though...cold feet and hot head, but ideal for heat only. It's hard to say whether propane or oil will be more expensive in the long term. One thing to be said for propane is that if it spills, you won't have a major cleanup bill (if it doesn't explode!). There should be less maintenance on a propane fired unit, and you can use it to convert your hot water and stove and maybe dryer, if so inclined. With the electric rates in our area, I would want to get out of the electric heat, too.