Safe portable heating for empty house???

[dhutch]

I would not replace the warm air system as I dont expect it would make the house significantly more desirable for the given cost. I also wouldnt have someone throw in a wet heating system really badly with pipes everywhere just so that you have some heating to tick a box.

I dont know the area, state of the rest of the house, target buyer, etc, but I would either sell the house without, draining down the water, using trickle vents to keep house aired, and a pair of 2kw fan heaters to take the chill off proir to a viewing. Or I would bite the bullet and spend the time and money to do a decent job on installing a all new wet central heating system, routing the pipes sensably, and using a mid-spec popular brand boiler.


Daniel

 

[amelia]

Thank you Daniel for your comments. I was of the same mind initially but not re installing wet heating system.

It is a small bungalow, needing decoration throughout and a new kitchen. We do not want to do that work because we wont get the money back and it will not advantage my Mum (in care home). Plasterboard walls and concrete floors plus lack of space = difficulties as far as I can see. Thought it would be simpler to slot in a replacement unit.

 

[dhutch]

Thank you Daniel for your comments. I was of the same mind initially but not re installing wet heating system.

It is a small bungalow, needing decoration throughout and a new kitchen. We do not want to do that work because we wont get the money back and it will not advantage my Mum (in care home). Plasterboard walls and concrete floors plus lack of space = difficulties as far as I can see. Thought it would be simpler to slot in a replacement unit.

Yeah, I can see that, I just think it would be good money after bad.

I bought my first house just over a year ago and was looking a whole load of houses in the same condition for the same reasons and it wouldnt have put me off, a lot of them where on elec storage or gas roomheaters, and they would have been coming out too.

It would make a bit of a mess to do it, but if you where redecorating at the same time, it would just happen as part of the coarse. Run the pipes in the attic, and down the wall to the radiators (which you would be able to place where you liked, aka, not by the windows) boiler would almost certainly smaller, etc.

If the flu is asbestos, its not your problem, and you wouldnt know it was (which you dont) so it would all just become there issue.

Price it for what it is and be flexable within reason. Job done.

In the unlikely situation that you find a buyer who is really keen but put of by the lack of boiler you can always offer for them to get a plumber in to quote for the job, and knock that off the list price before starting negotiations, or something like that? Or even, negotiate a price based on a wet system being installed, get the contract signed with that as a condition of sale, and then get someone in to do it for you! Obviously then you are taking the risk, as you would if you had it installed on spec, but atleast you have a buyer.

Im sure others will pass comment further, im only 25 and a year into house ownership, but if i was buying it or selling it, that would be what I would be thinking.


Daniel

 

[amelia]

Wise words Daniel. Thank you.

 

[TheVictorian]

Personally I think people would be put off straight away by it having no wet central heating system.

There are lots of houses on the market at the moment, giving buyers plenty of choice.

Also factor in that because of the higher levels of deposit required these days, people are leaning towards properties that don't need money throwing at them straight away as they just don't have funds.

 

[Boilerman2]

It will cost roughly the same to fit a new WAU as it would to fit "proper" heating - it would be Madness to replace the WAU - haven't you wondered why you have not been able to sell the House in TWO YEARS!!???
Potential Buyers DO NOT LIKE WARM AIR HEATING fitting a Radiator system will increase the value and more importantly the attractiveness of your property or you could fit a new WAU and STILL NOT FIND A BUYER

Your Choice - you asked for honest advice and you have received lots of GOOD advice -take it if you want to !

 

[ianmcd]

when you try to sell the house you will have to get a certificate stating how energy efficient the house is, if you replace the WAU with an other one then this is likely to be a low classification but will cost a similar amount to a wet central heating system which could be classified a lot higher, If I was you I would spend the money on a more modern wet system with a long say 5 year manufacturers guarentee this will be a great selling point for your house

 

[Mikefromlondon]

Of course there are lots of opinions about WAUs and wet heating systems, those new to WAU first of all don't even know what a WAU is, when I bought my first house as an investment, I did not even look at what sort of heating was in use, I was told that there is a warm air heating and I remember not worrying too much about it, as long as there is some sort of space heating, overall, I have worked in that house and stayed pr spent a few nights there and my experience of it was pretty good, it warms the place up in no time, though the only snag is that it is a bit noisey, and can blow household dust around if the filters are damaged, and best of all you never see any damp in the place, still I would prefer a wet system. Wet systenms are more efficient and cost less than a wau.

In USA, most homes are heated by WAU or their equivalent as that doubkles upo as air con in summer.

 

[amelia]

Thanks for all your comments. Very helpful. The estate agent has agreed with our decision to not fit anything!

Re Warm air
I lived in the bungalow with my Mum for over 20 years and found the system to be great. Instant heat when you want it. Was no more dusty than the house I live in now. Not particularly noisy.

Only problem we ever had with the unit was finding (after about 18 years of use) that the flue had never been connected! New service guy did a smoke test and discovered that. Oh yes, one day the cat decided to go down into the ducting below the dining room floor! I had removed the grill as I was doing something to the surrounding carpet, left the room, came back and heard miaowing from under the concrete floor! It's a long story but yes, eventually I did manage to get him out!

 

[ianmcd]

Thanks for all your comments. Very helpful. The estate agent has agreed with our decision to not fit anything!

Re Warm air
I lived in the bungalow with my Mum for over 20 years and found the system to be great. Instant heat when you want it. Was no more dusty than the house I live in now. Not particularly noisy.

Only problem we ever had with the unit was finding (after about 18 years of use) that the flue had never been connected! New service guy did a smoke test and discovered that. Oh yes, one day the cat decided to go down into the ducting below the dining room floor! I had removed the grill as I was doing something to the surrounding carpet, left the room, came back and heard miaowing from under the concrete floor! It's a long story but yes, eventually I did manage to get him out!

If you have a family member who suffers from certain breathing ailments Chronic Asthma etc then you can get a government grant to replace your WAU with a wet system, what does that tell you about how harmless it is and no more dusty than a wet system ? I get a lot of work from WAU systems and carry spares for most older units that are supposedly now obsolete but only because its worth my while as there are loads around my area of coverage, I wouldnt have one in my own home through choice but saying that the new ones are combined Air conditioning units (not to be confused with the old summer winter switch ones) so can be used as a de-humidifier as well as heating or cooling and dont have the older units health concerns