My home is massive and old with high ceilings and massive windows.
The two of us are gradually making apartment improvements however the projects are pricey and time-consuming.
The two of us are working on replacing windows, installing a current roof and adding insulation, however despite having a forced air oil furnace, certain rooms are drafty and often freezing. There are simply not enough vents to handle the demand of the local winters. The hot and cold temperatures below zero and brutal wind chill are a massive challenge for more than half the year. The kitchen in the home is especially freezing, however at 1 point, all of us invested into a pellet stove that was a disaster. It required constant refilling and re-lighting. It was messy, ugly and took up quite a bit of space. I was certainly unhappy with it. The two of us eventually updated the pellet stove with a ventless gas heater. The ventless gas oil furnace was a single stage model that could only operate at maximum capacity. It would blast heated air until it brought the temperature of the room up to the thermostat setting and then shut off completely, creating unpleasant temperature swings. The unit was harshly sensitive to the slightest buildup of dust. A red warning light would start blinking and the oil furnace would no longer shut down. It would pump out warm air non stop, making myself and others worried about it overheating and becoming a safety risk, however just recently, I finally invested into a ductless mini-split. The indoor air handler is mounted up high on the wall, unobtrusive and quiet. It features inverter technology that allows the program to automatically adapt output to maintain a certainly consistent temperature. The ductless heat pump provides especially energy efficient heating and cooling. It keeps the kitchen perfectly comfortably year round.