Are you considering radiant heating as a home upgrade or for a new home? It’s a fantastic option, ideal for our climate, and you’re likely to be very happy with it if you do choose that route for your home comfort. As you make your heating system choice, you should have as much information as possible. Here are some pros and cons of radiant heat in Boston, MA for you to consider.
What Is Radiant Heat?
This is the term for heat provided by the movement of water which has been heated by a boiler. In the past, boilers heated water to steam, which traveled through a system of radiators in a building, but that’s no longer the case. The temperature of the water in a boiler is usually around 150°F, well below boiling. That hot water may flow through baseboard registers or in-floor piping.
Pros:
- Comfort: Radiant heating systems are simply cozier than forced-air systems. When your heat relies on the movement of air, hot and cold spots can easily develop in your home. But radiant heat is much more evenly toasty.
- Efficiency: The more easily heat can be transferred through a medium, the less energy it requires to use that medium to heat your home. Water is simply a more effective substance for heat transfer than air.
- Speed: Especially in the case of in-floor radiant systems, you can enjoy the warmth of turning up the heat immediately. Forced-air furnaces can take quite a while to heat a house.
- Sound: Furnaces have a lot of moving parts and make a lot of noise. A boiler and its registers or piping are remarkably quiet in comparison.
- Air Quality: With the movement of air being necessary for warming your home, you’ll always be stirring up dust into your air—not to mention breathing whatever might be lurking in the dark of your ductwork, like mildew! Radiant systems allow dust to settle and keep your air cleaner.
- Repairs: We mentioned the smaller number of moving parts that a radiant system has—the most significant one being the circulator pump. Because of this, you’ll encounter fewer problems that require repair over the years!
- Lifespan: Finally, while a furnace might last 10-15 years, a boiler—provided it receives regular maintenance—can last longer. It might even make it to the age of twenty!
Cons:
- Cost: If your home is already outfitted with ductwork that’s still in good condition, it would be less expensive to continue to use that with a new furnace than to install all the infrastructure necessary for a radiant system.
- Inconvenience: If you’re interested in the in-floor piping option, and you already have floors, guess what? They’ll need to be pulled up to allow for the installation. That makes this time-consuming and potentially quite inconvenient.
- Freezing: Just as your water pipes can freeze in the winter, a boiler’s pipes have the same vulnerability. This will be taken into account during the installation so your risk can be minimized, but it’s something you’ll need to be aware of.
How can you be sure whether radiant or forced-air heating is the right choice for you? We’d be delighted to sit down and discuss your options based on your home, your situation, and your specific needs.
Reach out to Cooling Unlimited, Inc. to speak with qualified heating experts.
