Heat Pumps and Electric Heating - Recommendation Needed

We are building a 750 sq ft apartment above a new garage, the plans we are looking to purchase call for no heat.

The place is in Nothern Michigain and will mostly be used during the summer months. So basically we will be heating for only a few months and primarily on the weekends only. We will never air condition.

What would be the best way to heat. I understand that
electric cost more to run but considering how little we will heat does this make sense.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Hi TG, first, if you have plumbing in there, won't you need to keep it above freezing throught the winter? Or are you going to drain everything and shut it down for each fall? The reason I ask is that there are mold issues when not heating a well sealed house.

As for choice of heating system, if you do a first rate job of insulating and sealing, you will need very little heat, thus electric will work. But when you read the news, todays energy costs are just a blink away from prices we can't understand. That's a much longer topic, but one I can't afford to ignore.

There are gas fired imitation fireplaces, wood stoves, and gas heaters that would make excellent seasonal heat sources. All of which would allow you to avoid a typical full heating system and it's cost.

Bud

I'd go with electric resistance heat. The operating costs are highest but the convenience, reliability, and performance can't be beat - and it sounds like you'll only need heat now and then so the extra cost will be small.
One nice thing is that each area could have its own thermostat at low cost.
Another is that the chances of failure are smaller than any other heating method.

I'd especially look into radiant heat that's installed in the ceiling surface ... this needs to be done by someone willing to follow manufacturer's instructions - but is pretty easy to do.
Or even easier, wall mounted radiant heater(s) in each room; very easy for any electrician to install.

If AirConditioning ends up being needed after all - sometimes the "attic" gets warm - you could always stick a window AC in. If you knew for sure that you'd want AC then one of the Mitsubishi Mr Slim heat pumps would be worth looking into - but now you need to worry about finding an installer who knows his stuff - maybe not so easy.

For 750 feet I would look at a PTAC. I would look at the heat pump unit. Yes it is an AC but for the cost and as little area that you have I think it would be your cheapest up front cost and cheaper to run than just electric heat.