[MassHistPres] Integrating heat pumps into historic homes
Judy Markland
jmarkland at lmstrategies.com
Wed Apr 7 14:07:44 EDT 2021
Ralph,
Thank you for raising this issue. It's a very important one and
increasingly so.
We installed a UNICO high velocity system for a/c in an 1820, center
chimney, post and beam house last summer. In addition to coming down
from the attic and up from the cellar, ducts were run through closets.
The installers also had the option of running ducts down through the
area around the chimney. I wonder if stairwells might work too?
It is possible to hide interior ductwork. Our home has several fake
posts, boxes that hide pipes and wiring that couldn't be run through the
walls because of the post and beam construction. They look like they've
always been there.
Judy Markland, Whately Historical Society
On 4/7/2021 1:27 PM, Ralph Slate wrote:
> Hi James --
>
> I am trying to look 5 to 10 years into the future. Given that there is
> considerable serious discussion about the *elimination* of fossil-fuel
> as a heating source, I think that we -will- see people abandoning
> working heating systems and moving towards a heat-pump style system.
>
> Even if people don't abandon working systems, over the next 5-10 years
> many heating systems will be replaced due to failure, and the
> incentives are being set up to dissuade installation of oil systems
> (the state will eliminate/curtail Mass-Save efficiency rebates to
> install replacement oil/gas systems next year), and to encourage
> heat-pump systems (those subsidies are remaining and will likely be
> increased).
>
> I think that this is a good thing, I'm just trying to figure out how
> we can guide it properly. The three photos on my original post show
> the wide range of installations, and I am fairly sure that those are
> AC-only units, so they aren't directed to every room in the house.
>
> Mini-duct systems may be a possibility for older houses, but
> installation is invasive when you can't either come up into a room
> from the basement, or down into a room from the attic. A 3-floor
> building, which is what is predominant in Springfield's historic
> districts, poses challenges, making installation much more expensive,
> and pushing people toward lower-quality solutions as shown in the photos.
>
> I am not concerned with the unit being mounted on the ground (though I
> have seem some units mounted on the side of houses or on roofs, which
> is even more detracting). I am concerned, as shown in the original
> photos, with a spider-like structure applied to the exterior of the
> house to get the coolant lines into each and every room, with priority
> given to interior placement of the fan unit over exterior appearance
> of the piping. That is not in the spirit of the architectural design
> of historic houses.
>
> I appreciate the sentiment that making historic houses easier to live
> in is a worthy goal, but taken to the extreme, this means abandoning
> architectural guidelines - vinyl siding, plastic windows, Home-Depot
> porch railings and columns are all "easier".
>
> Here are some recent articles which describe the direction the state
> is going in. Sorry if you need a Globe subscription to read them, I
> have included relevant points.
>
> https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/04/06/science/after-passing-landmark-climate-law-mass-officials-now-face-hard-part-how-wean-itself-off-fossil-fuels/
>
> "Getting to net zero emissions (by 2050) will require some 3
> million homes and 5 million vehicles to eliminate their use of
> fossil fuels."
> "the climate law requires they cut emissions by as much as 50
> percent below 1990 levels by the end of the decade"
> "By this summer, for example, officials must set
> emissions-reduction targets for programs sponsored by Mass Save,
> the state’s home energy efficiency program".
> "The Baker administration has set a goal of retrofitting 1 million
> homes to use electricity for heating by 2030"
>
> https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/04/01/business/heating-oil-industry-fights-mass-effort-eliminate-rebates-fossil-fuel-heating-appliances/
>
> "The heating oil industry is fired up about a proposal to take
> away energy-efficiency rebates from its customers as part of a
> state-led effort to wean homeowners off fossil fuels"
> "Mass Save rebates for new oil-fired systems for heat and hot
> water, as well as no-interest loans for homeowners to install
> them, [would be eliminated] as soon as January. Rebates for
> natural gas-fired and propane installations would be ratcheted
> back significantly."
> "One provision allows municipalities to adopt net-zero building
> codes for new construction, which could effectively block
> fossil-fuel hookups in future projects."
> "State officials and environmentalists hope to encourage the use
> of electric heat pumps in homes and discourage fossil fuels. The
> ramifications could be huge for the 700,000-plus homeowners in the
> state who use heating oil — as well as for the companies that
> serve them."
> "We are really scrutinizing all our fossil fuel incentives and
> will be careful about which fossil fuel incentives that will be
> retained in the next plan. This is not just about heating oil,”
> said Patrick Woodcock, the state energy resources commissioner.
> “We think that heat pumps should be integrated across the state .
> . . It’s a technological breakthrough that Massachusetts will
> seize. It’s just a matter of time. We do think that time is now."
>
>
> https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/07/21/metro/ag-rejects-brooklines-ban-oil-gas-pipes-new-buildings/?p1=Article_Inline_Related_Link
>
> "Attorney General Maura Healey on Tuesday rejected a controversial
> bylaw passed last year by Brookline residents that banned the
> installation of oil and gas pipes in new and substantially
> renovated buildings, the first such prohibition in Massachusetts"
> "Supporters of the bylaw, which sought to eliminate emissions
> responsible for an estimated two-thirds of the town’s greenhouse
> gases, noted that Healey didn’t find that it violated the state
> constitution. As a result, they planned to urge the Legislature to
> change state law to allow such local bylaws."
>
> Ralph Slate
> Springfield, MA
>
>
> On 4/7/2021 12:14 PM, JamesBlauch_Architect at verizon.net wrote:
>>
>> I believe that you are incorrect in noting that the “radiator
>> infrastructure is being made redundant” when installing a split
>> system. If the existing forced hot water heating system in NOT oil
>> and is working “fine”, then the split system would probably be
>> cooling only; perhaps, adding heating as a supplemental heating
>> source. I doubt that anyone would abandon a working heating system
>> just to add a split system (for cooling).
>>
>> I am currently working on completing construction documents for a
>> multi-family building where we are removing through-wall a/c units
>> and providing cooling split system units for each tenant unit. Due
>> to the common boiler hot water heating system, the radiators are
>> being retained. ALL split system piping is being run internally
>> inside the building from the roof-mounted units.
>>
>> Perhaps the problem that you are concerned with is that the split
>> system’s exterior unit is mounted on the ground – which would almost
>> certainly require exterior mounting of the piping. With older homes
>> and only sloping roofs available, perhaps the exterior unit could be
>> mounted in a portion of the attic with louvers added to permit air to
>> enter this portion of the attic? Then internal piping would be the
>> simplest solution for connecting the split system.
>>
>> Sincerely:
>>
>> James Blauch Architect
>>
>> Cell: 508-868-8095
>>
>> Email: JamesBlauch_Architect at verizon.net
>> <mailto:JamesBlauch_Architect at verizon.net>
>>
>> Registered in MA & SC
>>
>> *From:*MassHistPres <masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu> *On Behalf Of
>> *Ralph Slate
>> *Sent:* Wednesday, April 7, 2021 9:27 AM
>> *To:* twm3 at metcalfe-architecture.com
>> *Cc:* masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
>> *Subject:* Re: [MassHistPres] Integrating heat pumps into historic homes
>>
>> Running the tubing inside the walls might work in a gut-rehab, but
>> how can these be installed in a less invasive manner?
>>
>> With all the talk about the state going fossil-fuel-free in the next
>> 2 decades, how can we get out in front of this? Is there a way to do
>> this on the interior specifically using the radiator infrastructure
>> that is being made redundant? Or, as Tris has suggested, is there a
>> way that this can be run through the interior in an aesthetically
>> pleasing manner?
>>
>> I think that telling someone "no" to this without having a practical
>> alternative is not realistic, given the momentum.
>>
>> The other issue is that the exact same infrastructure is used for
>> ductless splits that are cooling-only. That is a bit more of a luxury
>> item, but I don't think it would be permissible for a commission to
>> say "yes" to converting the heating system, but "no" to adding air
>> conditioning, provided that the exterior appearance is the same.
>>
>> Ralph Slate
>> Springfield, MA
>>
>> On 4/2/2021 4:55 PM, twm3 at metcalfe-architecture.com
>> <mailto:twm3 at metcalfe-architecture.com> wrote:
>>
>> Ralph
>>
>> I tell people that it is much more efficient to run heating pipes
>> inside the warm house vs outside in the below zero air where the
>> pipes have only 1/2” of rubber insulation with another inch of
>> fiberglass inside the plastic gutter, which if chosen also needs
>> painting cost added.
>>
>> The cost to drill holes in floors and place in room corners and
>> on interior wall ceilings is helped by less electrical use.
>>
>> Tris Metcalfe
>>
>> Northampton
>>
>> btw
>>
>> The St John Cantius church in our downtown is being threatened
>> with demolition and a continued CBAC meeting is this Tuesday
>> 4/6/21 @6:30pm. If interested in commenting own load the entry
>> document at;
>>
>> http://northamptonma.gov/AgendaCenter/Central-Business-Architecture-42/
>> <http://northamptonma.gov/AgendaCenter/Central-Business-Architecture-42/>
>>
>> On Apr 1, 2021, at 4:05 PM, Ralph Slate <slater at alum.rpi.edu
>> <mailto:slater at alum.rpi.edu>> wrote:
>>
>> I am seeing a big push for people to convert their heating
>> systems to more efficient heat-pump technology, and I think
>> this will become a significant challenge in the future for
>> owners of historic homes.
>>
>> The issue that I foresee is that the predominant way to
>> accomplish this conversion in a house without a ducted
>> heating system is via "ductless splits" - where a fan unit is
>> installed on the inside, and a condenser is installed on the
>> outside. The two halves are connected with copper piping
>> which transfers the heat via a refrigerant. There are
>> currently rebates available for these units at Masssave.
>>
>> What I have been seeing is that the most convenient way to
>> install these systems is to run the piping along the outside
>> of the house, and cover it up with plastic channels which
>> look like gutters. A 3" hole is then drilled through the
>> house to carry the piping to the point where the fan unit is
>> located. A fan unit is usually required in every room.
>> Because the interior fan units are somewhat large, homeowners
>> need to place them in very specific locations, not
>> considering the impact on where the channels appear on the
>> outside of the house. The end result is usually an
>> asymmetrical series of channels running across the outside of
>> the house
>>
>> Although these channels can be painted, sometimes homeowners
>> do not do this, and although paint helps, if the channels are
>> installed in prominent locations (like on the front of the
>> house) it doesn't help much.
>>
>> I do not think that installing one of these systems requires
>> a building permit (triggering historic review), so this issue
>> arises as more of an "after-the-fact" problem, but one which
>> would be difficult to mitigate after-the-fact without a total
>> re-installation.
>>
>> I will try and paste photos into this email of a few nearby
>> me, hopefully the pictures will come through.
>>
>> My question is, given that this will gain in popularity, does
>> anyone know of a better way to conceal this technology? This
>> may be the predominant method of heating in the future,
>> especially as we shift away from carbon-based heat, because
>> it involves moving heat instead of burning fuel to generate it.
>>
>> Basic guidelines could include requiring the channels to be
>> painted the same color as the house, or disallowing them from
>> the front facade. Is there more that could be asked?
>>
>> Ralph Slate
>> Springfield, MA
>>
>> <lkefbnmnnkpmilpe.png>
>> <cnmkfchjljiohhbo.png><ojgpjibfoehodokj.png>
>>
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