I already posted this in Attics, but didn't get any responses. Maybe someone here can help.

We have given up on our original plan for heat. I am now considering electric heat or bringing the steam up to the attic. I need some cost/benefit advice on the choice. I am also open to any other suggestions.

Electric:
I don't like electric heat, at all.
It will be more expensive to run, but the room will be used for a relatively few hours a day, and the room will not suck heat out of the rest of the house when unheated.
I think it will be cheaper to install.
I think it will heat the room more evenly and more quickly, but I have never had electric heat, so I am not certain about that.

Steam:
I love steam heat. I love the hisses and clanks.
I know it will be expensive to install.
I am afraid it will take much longer to heat the room.
I think that if I have a single radiator, the room will heat unevenly; I don't want a cast radiator in the attic. [Are there baseboard steam heating units?]
I don't know how I could turn it on from the second floor [to let the room warm up before I go up there].

Any advice, insights, or alternatives will be greatly appreciated.

More information:
The house currently has natural gas fueled heat, with cast radiators in the rest of the house.

This will be a pretty big room, about 25' x 16', with a pretty low ceiling, under 7', 3' knee walls. The floors are insulated, have thin plywood over the original rough plank flooring; the knee walls and sloping walls and narrow ceiling will be insulated.

The room will be used primarily in the afternoon and evening [after the sun has been on the roof all day]. The intended use is as an office, but may be used as a kids' den by the next owners [not that we are planning on selling just yet]

 

How about gas logs or gas wall heater.

 

Unfortunately, the fire place was over $1000, not including installation, and would require a hole in the roof. The hole in the roof was the deal-breaker

I was told that we should under no circumstances even consider any kind of ventless gas heat.

Sigh. I don't want electric, but I just don't know if bringing the steam up would work.

 

I have never heard of anybody say not to go ventless. I have two and never had any problems. Did they say WHY?

 

I have spoken primarily to gas stove salesmen who basically say that all the stuff that is supposed to go out a vent goes into the room, and that is bad.

I've just assumed it was carbon monoxide ...

 

In no way do you want to use a ventless gas heater there. In fact in many states they are outlawed. You have it right about the carbon monoxide . When the talk about safety they have a automatic safety shutoff sensors to shut it off at low oxygen.By then the carbon monoxide has got you.
You now have gas for the boiler Id say a small gas furnace or a small vent gas heater. Cant you tie into the flue from treh boiler ??????. The small gas heater and flue will cost a lot less then that $1000 And you can turn it on and off when you want

 

I have never heard this! I thought that this was the way to go! With the Lack of a lot of hrs the room would be in use I can't see CO being a problem. Is their windows up their?

 

Definitely illegal here; each unit [water heater, furnace, stove vent] must have its OWN outlet.

And every home, even owner-occupied single family, MUST have carbon monoxide detectors; rental property must have hardwired smoke detectors with battery back-up, but I don't know if OOSF do.

I would love a gas fire up there, but a total cost of $4K, just doesn't seem worth it.

 

From what you say Id go electric then. A small electric furnace will pick up and heat the room faster than anything else. Or a small unit with a blower in it or them

 

I am going to look into heat pumps.

 

Mini split.