Cyprus-Forum.com

[fekish]

Hello,

we are planning to build a house, and we are at the point were we are thinking about specific details.
would someone with personal experience be able to give us some advise please on these?

- we are concerned about heating: underfloor or wall panels
- also for heating, we are thinking whether petrol or electricity would be more ideal...

I have done some research and until now i understood: underfloor heating gives a better overall feeling to people, although you cannot control the tempereture as quickly as you can do with panels.
Petrol might be cheaper long run, but you have to prepare a separate room for the machines, whereas electric heating you dont have to have anything separately and no re-fills are required...

Any small/big advice is welcomed!

[Sotos]

Depends on where you are building, on the coast, inland or on the mountains. Personally I went with AC units for most rooms for the following reasons: 1. I needed the AC units for cooling anyway, adding the heating part only adds a small additional cost. 2. I can control each room individually and I can get the temp that I want quickly. 3. Heat Pumps (AC) are the most efficient when you are living in temperate climate (I live on the coast, if you live on Troodos it will not be as efficient). 4. Because of points 2 and 3 it will be much cheaper to operate than underfloor heating. The one disadvantage of heating with AC units is that they can dry the air but that is not a problem if you are living on the coast where the humidity is very high. Underfloor heating can probably give the best result but I didn't like the idea of water pipes all over the floors and because it is very slow to heat a space you have to heat all rooms at all times. And if you are operating it with the usual oil or electric burner then it is more expensive to operate. Of course there are other solutions, like using geothermal or sun panels to supplement the heating etc etc.

[fekish]

ok thanks!
I live in Limassol.

[supporttheunderdog]

ok thanks!
I live in Limassol.

Look at using as much solar / geo thermal as you can for heating AND cooling - for a reasonable capital cost - as fuel costs can otherwise be crippling.
EG solar powered absorbtion/adsorption a/c
Geo thermal cooling / solar chimney ventilation combined with say a trombe wall.

[CBBB]

The decision on what power source to use for heating and cooling is largely irrelevant if the property is correctly designed and insulated.

You also might like to discuss with Sotos whether to use 2-pin or 3-pin power sockets.

[supporttheunderdog]

The decision on what power source to use for heating and cooling is largely irrelevant if the property is correctly designed and insulated.

You also might like to discuss with Sotos whether to use 2-pin or 3-pin power sockets.

You are both very right and wrong: proper design with good insulation is essential but the design shouold factor in how the house will be heated and cooled, and that must include consideration of both active and passive heating and cooling and choice of energy sources for the active systems.

[johbee]

I've been involved in the construction of many houses. I currently live in a big old stone built house in Limassol. When I renovated and built on to it I put the provision for central heating, but I never installed it since I also put split units in every room. I simply use the split units for hearing and cooling. The provisions for central heating were a complete waste of money. I am now building a summer house where I will only put split units. Of course if you are up in the mountains you may choose to go with central heating, but let's face it: It doesn't get that cold in Limassol. My advice would be not to waste your money on central heating or such extravagance as geothermal. Very expensive. I will probably put some solar panels to help with he electric, but even the cost for these is over the top and will take many, many years to recover the initial investment.

[fekish]

Thanks for the help everyone!

We dont like AC units, as they dry the air. And also in the future when we will want to heat the whole house at some days, they will consume too much energy, thus $$$...
We were told that a lot of people put underfloor heating with GAS instead of petrol nowadays.
Seeing just which is better without seeing the costs, definitely 1. Underfloor 2. Wall Panels 3. AC units.
The feeling of not seeing at all any panels, and the floor to be heated thus giving a very nice feeling in the living area is super.

I want to put the right money in order to make proper walls and windows for insulation, thus hopefully AC's or heating will be used to a minimum during summer and winter.

[Get Real!]

Hello,

we are planning to build a house, and we are at the point were we are thinking about specific details.
would someone with personal experience be able to give us some advise please on these?

- we are concerned about heating: underfloor or wall panels
- also for heating, we are thinking whether petrol or electricity would be more ideal...

I have done some research and until now i understood: underfloor heating gives a better overall feeling to people, although you cannot control the tempereture as quickly as you can do with panels.
Petrol might be cheaper long run, but you have to prepare a separate room for the machines, whereas electric heating you dont have to have anything separately and no re-fills are required...

Any small/big advice is welcomed!

Underfloor heating is usually used in combination with other types of heating. I installed a reverse cycle air conditioning system (ducts in the ceilings) with zone controls, and never looked back.

You get clean, silent, and instant air conditioning that also looks good!

[johbee]

Hello,

Underfloor heating is usually used in combination with other types of heating. I installed a reverse cycle air conditioning system (ducts in the ceilings) with zone controls, and never looked back.

You get clean, silent, and instant air conditioning that also looks good!

I got lots of comments from my AC guy telling me this is no good, but it's exactly what I want. I think he's just not up on this type of installation so he doesn't even want to quote for it. Who did yours? Any recommendations?