Hot Water Baseboard Heat

[Dave M.]

I'm looking at a house for sale that has hot water baseboard heat. It is not the zoned design. The heater is tiny, about the size of a large pressure cooker.

Is this type of heater desirable, or should I look for a house with forced air?. Also, can I install central air conditioning when I have the baseboard heat? The house is a 1600 square foot split level.

Thanks,

Dave M.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Baseboard heat is just fine. I prefer it over a furnace. The only downside is central air. The AC requires ducts so there is added expense to install the AC. I live in a cool climate so central AC is not something I care about but YMMV.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, If between two is the choice(assuming they are both well designed/installed), I'd go for water heating. No noise, no dust. A/C, you can install good ductless system.

[Dave M.]

Tony Hwang wrote in news:xSv0i.171916$6m4.121563@pd7urf1no:

Thanks to both posters.

[Lawrence]

Hot water or hydronic heat is very desirable. It is usually thought of as in the floor tubing but for sure there are baseboards and radiators of every style and description. Though I have not seen it done, I have read that cold water can also be pumped throught a hydronic system for the purpose of cooling. I don't know the details only that it is possible.

[Doug Miller]

And yes, central air conditioning can be installed. It'll be kind of a pain, running ducts in places where the builder hadn't intended them to be, but it can be done.

[Bob M.]

Baseboard heat is more even; there aren't as many hot spots around the room(s). If the bubbles have been bled out, it is almost inaudible even when the pumps are running. The opposite is true if there are a lot of bubbles in it - you will certainly hear them, but bleeding the system is easy and if it's new enough, it may have an auto-bleed system. No filters to replace either.

You could install central air with baseboard heat, but it requires ducts. Also, if you're in a naturally dry area as I am, baseboard heat affords no way of humidifying the house, which is easily done with forced-air systems.