To heat or not to heat... (Orono, Eastport: house, contractor, drywall)

[maine4.us]

We have a home in Eastport. We heated it the first year we owned it, but condensation started to become a problem. The propane heater is not vented. The unit keeps the house warm in the winter when set on low. The house has been renovated, and is fully insulated, in the walls and attic. We have a dirt basement. We also have a small sump pump to pump water out when needed. There is no under floor insulation.

Upon advice of the property managers, we turned off the heat. We winterize the house, and shut everything down except the sump. It never freezes, or at least hasn't the last two winters.

I seem to be getting conflicting information about what we need to do. What do you think? Should I heat, or not. The only damage I have seen was a bit of an ice dam leak two years ago, and the drywall tape under the windows has split, otherwise, no problems.

Just asking for some advice! Thanks for any and all comments.

[tcrackly]

All my seasonal neighbors keep heat on(usually gas or electric) to control moisture build up, condensation, and plumbing freeze. They shut down all the in house water at the interior main valve but leave the faucets partially open , I think. any moisture that condenses in the cold will freeze, expamd wood grain, joints, etc. Then when it melts and/or condenses more you end up with mold growth---damaging and unhealthy.
I guess it all depends on your house structure and how well in sheds water in the wetter months. it it sits high and dry with good roof drainage and ground run off you might get away with no heating at all.

[Submariner]

A local radio talk show that I like is: 'Hot and Cold' with Tom Gocze [an heating and insulation contractor] and Dick Hill [a professor at UM Orono]. They seem to be really on top of this issue [and many other heating issues]. I recommend that you listen to them whenever you are in the area from 8am to 10am every Saturday at 103.9Mhz FM.

One gallon of propane when combined with oxygen burns to become; heat, carbon-dioxide and 4 gallons of water. All of that water will hang in the air until it is exhausted from the house or else until it condenses in the house.

During the heating season if an unvented propane heater or stove burns through 100 gallons of fuel; then 400 gallons of water have been slowly added into the atmosphere of that sealed house. Where it was most likely absorbed into the materials in the house.

Unvented propane is 'safe' for people in terms of producing no carbon-monoxide. But it is not good for sealed homes. It needs some serious ventilation to get rid of all that moisture.

We have a vented propane water-heater, it draws intake air from outside, and expels it's exhaust outside. That heated water can circulate through our radiant heated floors. To easily keep our home from freezing.

If you wish to keep using propane, I would recommend that you consider shifting your propane device to a vented one which can heat your home.

Also it is my understanding that by having an unfinished dirt basement, water will wick up from the ground and will add moisture to the air in your home.

That dirt needs to be graded [to provide a gentle slope or gutters into a sump], then covered with sheet plastic and a thin layer of gravel. This would provide a moisture barrier to stop the ground from adding moisture into your home, and it will function to direct any water toward your sump.

If you wished to lower the winter heat bill, you can also lay down a layer of styrofoam boards underneath the plastic. To slow down the heat you paid for from being sucked into the ground.

[bgrasser]

We don't heat the entire house, we have a plumber winterize our water pipes and keep an electric strip heater set at 40 in the utility room where the water service enters the house before heading South for
six + months. He charges $120 to winterize and $ 60 to de-winterize.
This Saturday the plumber and my Daughter will be de-winterizing; we will be back up North 5/9.

[maine4.us]

Thanks Forest, we have a good grade, and a sump to remove the moisture. I like the idea of plastic and styrofoam. During the summer months we keep the basement door open and it dries fine. I plan on doing the gravel thing when we are there for good. I also plan on diggingout the basement a bit more. 2/3 of the basement is deep enough to walk under.