Original question - window unit and stove. Why have ducts in a single room structure. Now - there are minisplits and wall units. I'm just saying, don't do a full central air system. On your house - you do know that 3 tons might not be enough? Its in the windows. You can insulate and seal but if you have large west facing windows - the heat gain could overwhelm your system. This might be unlikely but boy wouldn't that suck. "New heat pumps almost as efficient as geothermal." Well - 13 Seer is certainly not. Geo is just a heat pump system - it's just that water at 60 degrees is always a better place to move heat in and out of then ambient air temp. Water is far easier/less energy to pump than air. 60 degrees is always better than air because in the summer, you never see air as low as 60. In the winter, if it is 60 degrees out, you don't need heat so 60 is always better than ambient. The correct statement is that a water source heat pump is always more efficient than an air source heat pump. (Now if you have to use a lot of energy to pump from deep in the ground, that could be worse). I think it is fair to say (in the South) that a HE heat pump has may have a better rate of return than a vertical loop geothermal. I doubt geo would be worth it for you but you should at least factor in the tax credit when you are given numbers. $12k may include the tax credit and in that case, it is clearly not worth it. For some people, the extra cost for geothermal is small and worth it even in the South. I say even in the South because our utility costs are often too low to justify the extra cost. Geo helps more in the winter anyway. I know I'll get in trouble with blanket statements but the OP is probably looking at $600/yr or so total HVAC costs. Geo might cut that $200 - maybe.

Thanks for the feedback on the curtains. It sure is easier for me to do....nothing! Of course my dog has already managed to get tangled up in one and pull the entire thing (including rod) off the wall. And in less than 48 hours since hanging too! Thats gotta be some sort of record. Hopefully that doesn't happen again. Geokid, I wanted it your way too, and when we moved in tried to get it set up this way. I was vetoed and since I got to pick placement of every other room, I didn't argue too much. I can't recall the problem....maybe the dresser didn't fit on that wall? Some weird feng shui thing? nosoccormom - that light will likely be replaced with the oh so functional but not always attractive ceiling fan when we get around to it. It's close to a 100 year old house. It's been remodeled/rehabbed but not quite sure of how well it was insulated and how HOT it will get up there. We have lots of pretty windows, but they probably won't help much. Thoughts on a chair? It will obviously have to be small. I would love a pop of color over in that corner (I like color) but am not confident that I will find one that matches the rug. So how would another color like coral look? Too much?

mal First it's your home & only you truly know what is best suited for it and your family - The responses re: concern above I think give a good general opinion about resale - that has the potential to be a negative. lascatx brings the pt to light I would tend to agree w/that op. Not opposed - necessarily - just a different op - it's not my home.... try to imagine a time when the house is being sold - the first thing the broker will ask is "what is this room?" - If you have other options to put the mud area esp I would go that route - since you do come in throught the basement why not try to retrain your family to let that be the drop off zone - cubbies/hooks/baskets etc.... When you put appliances & plumbing in DR it would be difficult & a big expense to change that back in the event of resale & a broker saying changing it back will mean X$$ Perhaps contacting a broker or 2 before you decide may help in understanding what the market calls for in your area. To me, esp if you have other areas to designate, it just seems like a not clearly defined room - mud area & kit should be 2 separate imo.... Try to imagine being the person who is your potential buyer - walk in your own front door and what do you like/not like - Could a potential buyer walk in and say "do I take my shoes off here or take the cake out of the oven" Good luck

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