Forced Hot Air Versus Baseboard Forced Hot Water

maswift

I live in the Northeast and recently purchased a cape style home that is going to need a new heating system this summer. The house built in 1940 currently has natural gas forced hot air, with only 2 vents 1 upstairs and 1 downstairs. I am trying to decide if i should put in another hot air system or a baseboard hot water system. The other problem I have is that currently the house has a wood stove that is vented into the same flue as the furnace and I would like to vent the heating system/hotwater tank out the side of the house so that i dont have to have another flue put in. I have heard that hot water is a better heating system but i would like to get as many opinions as possible so i can make a good decision. All of your professional opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance Mike

TimWieneke

"but how do you cool your place? "

I lived in Boston for a while and honestly this is a concern for about 2 weeks in the summer.

I love my baseboard heat as it tends to heat the house much more evenly. However, it does take longer to warm it up and it does get dry as heck in here. An in-system humidifier is a nice advantage to a forced air system.

Tim

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As Steve the Foreman would say, "Forgive him Lord, for he doesn't know what he's doing."

Teetorbilt

maswift, please excuse ryan. He is our most recent 'villiage idiot' and will soon disappear.
Tim has been with us for a while and others will be along to answer your question.

747

Any plumber will tell you hot water heat is the most comfortable you can have in your home. However the reason why you don't seen it very much in new construction is because everyone wants central aircondition. It is just cheaper to run forced air furnace through that duct work. But for people who can afford a expensive new home they will go will hotwater heat and central air which is much more expensive. Hot water is cheaper to operate in winter compared to forced air. My sister has forced air furnance same size house as mine here heating bill is 225-300 dollars during winter. I have hot water copper base board my heating bill is 110-150 dollars during winter. Unfortunately she has central air and I have to go with window airconditioning and and couple permently mounted in walls in bedrooms. Good luck.

maswift

Thanks for all the opinions I am not worried about A/C, We can deal with the heat the two weeks out of the year here in the northeast.
Mike

Ted Glenney

Teetor, seriously what is your deal? I've only been here a few days, but it seems to me all you do is follow ryaniniowa around and harass him. I've never seen anything constructive from you in regards to anyone's original post. Now, I see this a lot on other forums from your basic noobie schmucks, but you are a MODERATOR for Pete's sake!
Man, grow up or chill out. But I guess anyone with a picture of another guy in their avatar has some issues anyway. Good luck with that. Is there an ignore feature in this place? I'd like to test it on you.

TimWieneke

"I've only been here a few days"
"you are a MODERATOR"

Yep.

Tim

__________________
As Steve the Foreman would say, "Forgive him Lord, for he doesn't know what he's doing."