5kw heat strips.

Seems a little low, especially when it gets pretty cold. Its something like 3.4 BTUs/watt, so you would be around 17,000 BTUs

One of the reasons I'm going to get into HVAC, as with wiring I always wire for the worst case, even in the south it seems to be getting cold. I'll be getting 10 or 15k heat strips and 4ga wire for next winter.

Don't you have access to natural gas? Its great for cooking as well.

10KW is probably a bit too much for your house. 7.5 is probably more inline of what you need.

Before just increasing heater size. might want to see if you can improve insulation or tighten the home a bit more. that way you would save on electric in both winter and summer.

2 stage it

Put another 5kw in it add a 2 stage heat tstat, control wire one 5kw for stage two, set tstat for 68 if the 1st stage cant maintain 68 it will pull in and cycle the 2nd stage to maintain 68.

Now you have the best of both worlds.

beecool said:

Put another 5kw in it add a 2 stage heat tstat, control wire one 5kw for stage two, set tstat for 68 if the 1st stage cant maintain 68 it will pull in and cycle the 2nd stage to maintain 68.

Now you have the best of both worlds.

Click to expand...

I would do the same . If I was doing 100% electric resistance heat .

But , depending on the age of the equipment , cost per kw and the climate ( how cold it gets ) , it might be a good time to think about a heat pump ?

But , if it rarely gets cold enough to need the extra heat , you might consider a few of those plug in heaters . It would not cost any more in electricity to use them as supplemental heat , than the extra 5 kw strip . And you could put them where the heat was needed most .

Lastly , the answer to insulate more / better is a very good idea , too .

God bless
Wyr