Help dealing with condo heating and title 24 (vents, expensive, contractor)

[dhilbe]

We're remodeling our California condo. The condo was built in the late 1960's - with radiant ceiling heat. As part of our remodel, we want to install recessed lighting. The act of installing the recessed lighting will essentially kill our existing ceiling heat. So, we need to replace that heating source. Our plan was to simply put electric wall heaters in each room that lost the ceiling heat. However, we have since found out that under Title 24...wall heaters are no eligible to be a primary source of heat. We are on the first floor of the condo building - no access for any duct via the roof/ceiling. There is about 6 feet of crawl space below our condo that could probably accommodate ducting. Heating with gas is not an option. I can't put anything outside the condo - like a compressor - due to HOA rules. Title 24 does not allow floor heating as the primary source of heat. I'm thinking the only options we might have is maybe an electric furnace and run the ducting under the condo to each room - assuming the HOA would let me do this. Or, reinstall ceiling heat once the recessed lights are installed - this may require removing all the ceiling drywall and install a new ceiling with embedded radiant heat. Or we could simply pass on the recessed light. Any ideas?

[adjusterjack]

Or we could simply pass on the recessed light.

That^

The HOA is not going to allow anything outside, under, or over your unit, not even anything that penetrates the ceiling and effects the existing heating.

All I can think of is a drop ceiling with recessed lighting and somehow lowering the radiant panels to the new ceiling.

Whatever you do that involves changing the heating system just to get recessed lighting is going to be impractical and expensive.

Besides, you should be asking the HOA what your options are before planning anything.

[dontaskwhy]

Most homes have the heat and a/c ducted through ceiling vents. Do you have a/c installed in your condo? I am in Florida and it is a must for both where I live. I suggest you talk with a local air conditioning/heater contractor for opinions. Not a project that many homeowners do themself. Keep in mind that any changes inside your interior walls will most likely require HOA approval before any work is started.

Just thought of another idea. If you have a centralized heating unit, you could route square duct work along the floor level of the wall with periodic vents. That may require small vent holes to be cut in the walls to go from room to room. If you try this method, you want to make sure not to cut any utility lines between the walls.

[MortonR]

I'm familiar with this type of radiant heat from that time period, and I understand your concern.

For those not familiar with this type of heating, it consists of a "sandwich" of drywall with wires embedded in between. 220V is passed through the wires which cause them to radiate heat down into the room. You can lose one or two of the wires (open circuit) and it will still function, but if more than a few are cut/broken/open circuited, it stops functioning.

I owned a home that was built in this time period that had it. Weird stuff, as there is no air circulation because there is no forced air (ductwork) system. Also, it's quite odd, as the radiant heat literally heats the objects in the room. You would sit down in a chair and it would be warm.

I's not terribly efficient, either. I can see this working in a climate like SoCal, but mine was in the Midwest, and the electric bills in the winter were horrendous.

Forget about the recessed lighting, or try to locate LED based lighting that would be surface mounted and not require penetrating the ceiling/drywall.

RM