PB
Addicted to ArboristSite
Can anyone tell me why one would choose forced air over baseboard and vise versa? Growing up we had baseboard and now my house has baseboard. Is one more efficient than the other?
Forced air vs. baseboard
- Thread starter PB
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2dumb4words
ArboristSite Operative
If it doesn't burn 2-stroke mix or splits, might be tough getting answers round here. Baseboards lost favor when central air became the norm. Baseboard heaters require more in terms of wiring the whole house. Forced air uses the same ducts for both. Both have pros and cons. In terms of efficiency, electric heat is electric heat. No real difference. Base boards though typically have more flexibility in terms of heating one area more or less than another. Zone heating can be done with forced air, but typically is only done in bigger, higher end homes.
Having had both, the oil filled baseboard heaters provide a more even heat. Typically forced air systems tend to have more temp swing. Ie: only heat when blowing, as opposed to a constant radiant heat. Both serve a purpose. I'd rather burn wood though
Having had both, the oil filled baseboard heaters provide a more even heat. Typically forced air systems tend to have more temp swing. Ie: only heat when blowing, as opposed to a constant radiant heat. Both serve a purpose. I'd rather burn wood though
I've actually had the opposite experience. In college I lived in a house with baseboard heat and it was terrible. Very drafty feeling throughout the house. Difficult to control the heat very well and even if you vacumed off all the heaters in the fall before it got cold, that first couple of days the house would smell absolutely terrible.
Plus it's crazy expensive to run baseboard heat vs. natural gas forced air.
But I would agree, they are not used much any more because when central air conditioning became popular more people wanted that.
When we were looking for our house several years ago, one of the caveats was no baseboard heat. It had to have forced air.
1) I wanted to add on an OWB eventually and have done so
2) Central air
3) electric is way too expensive.
My neighbor has baseboard and in the coldest months his electric bill is over $600/mth. No thanks haha.
Plus it's crazy expensive to run baseboard heat vs. natural gas forced air.
But I would agree, they are not used much any more because when central air conditioning became popular more people wanted that.
When we were looking for our house several years ago, one of the caveats was no baseboard heat. It had to have forced air.
1) I wanted to add on an OWB eventually and have done so
2) Central air
3) electric is way too expensive.
My neighbor has baseboard and in the coldest months his electric bill is over $600/mth. No thanks haha.
PB
Addicted to ArboristSite
Maybe baseboard isn't the word I am looking for. Our oil furnace heats hot water and then circulates that throughout the house. I think it provides an even, consistent heat throughout the house. Water is a great heat sink so it seems that it would require less BTU's to keep the water at temperature compared to a forced air system.
That's what the in-laws have except the oil burner is the backup now. The system is heated by the OWB via a 50 plate (or so) exchanger. I like that because with the zones you can keep the back unused rooms quite a bit cooler. Their place doesn't need central air anyway so it is not a big deal.
Marc
Addicted to ArboristSite
No that's the word. You should've specified hydronic or electric maybe. I'm not sure why so many folks assume baseboard = electric. Maybe it's just because that's what's common in their neck of the woods.
Baseboard radiator just refers to a form factor really. Heat may be from electric elements or forced hot water.
Of course, those aren't the only two options, either. Forced air is forced air, however, hydronic heat can be delivered in multiple ways, including but limited to fin tube baseboard radiators (really actually convectors), cast iron baseboard radiators, cast iron column radiators, steel panel radiators, poured in floor loops, staple up in floor, blown toe kick heaters...
There's also steam, from when boilers were really boilers, but no one installs those new anymore that I know of.
Marc
Addicted to ArboristSite
Also, the quantity of heat required depends much less on the delivery method, i.e. forced air vs. forced water, and much more on the heat load/loss of your particular domecile.
I believe it requires less energy, generally, to circulate water than it does blow air to deliver the same amount of heat, but I'm not positive. One downside to hydronic heat is there's not an easy way to install central a/c which is why it is more common up north where central cooling is less common.
I believe it requires less energy, generally, to circulate water than it does blow air to deliver the same amount of heat, but I'm not positive. One downside to hydronic heat is there's not an easy way to install central a/c which is why it is more common up north where central cooling is less common.
Woodomaker
ArboristSite Operative
cmsmoke
ArboristSite Operative
For a heat only system, the only answer is hydronic. Cast iron base board or radiators are better than copper, but take up more room and cost more to install. It is more even, cleaner, less problems with allergies and it doesn't blow cold air on you till the duct work heats up.
PB
Addicted to ArboristSite
That's what i have then, a hydronic system. I am just thinking about our future (forever) home whenever it gets here. I would like to have the baseboard system in our next house but you guys are right, central air is becoming more common and makes sense to have one system. Right now we have an oil boiler and a free standing wood stove. Our next house will have an indoor wood boiler/furnace like my parents have. The OWB is not something that really interests me. I like having the wood inside and the cleaner burn of the gasification systems. I really like the TARM boilers.
boilerwood
ArboristSite Member
Cousin of mine lived in an old farmhouse with old cast iron radiators. Cozy up to one of them when you come in from the cold and you got warmed up quick:msp_thumbup:
I grew up in your standard old 2 story farm house here built in 1912. It still has the original coal boiler, now converted to natural ga furnace. Has cast iron radiators in it. When I was about 13-14 my folks did a remodel project and removed all of the radiators, took them to a body shop to be sandblasted and painted, I was the lucky one to get them hauled back in the house and replaced in all of the rooms, hauling them upstairs was a real PITA! It is definately a knack controling the temperature in that old house, I remember my folks always cranked the t-stat up and when the first radiator started singing they would turn it back down, that way those radiators would give off the right amount of heat for a period of time without heating the house up too much. Sorry off topic a ways. My next house will definately have another OWB. I will have hydronic heat loops in the concrete basement, garage and on the main level will free float gypcrete in so I can have it there also. I will still have a forced air furnace/airconditioner with a coil inside from the OWB loop as well. Of course, still in the planning stage and need to sell other lot I bought that the wife doesn't like now. My $.02 worth.
Yeah I assumed the baseboard was electric. My bad. Anyone around here who has baseboard has electric.
I could definitely see how hydronic would be more comfortable. It's a similar feeling to what those of us get with water to air heat exchangers in our forced air systems with OWBs.
I know a couple people with air handlers doing the air conditioning and they do seem to like it. You are still going to get a difference in temp from room to room but it works well.
I could definitely see how hydronic would be more comfortable. It's a similar feeling to what those of us get with water to air heat exchangers in our forced air systems with OWBs.
I know a couple people with air handlers doing the air conditioning and they do seem to like it. You are still going to get a difference in temp from room to room but it works well.
stihly dan
Addicted to ArboristSite
If its for a new house, you can't beat radiant floors. Then if you want ac, ductless splits. You can have a nice wood boiler, and a back up gas boiler.
Dusty Rhodes
ArboristSite Operative
Hot water baseboard for me. I had forced air in the past and now that I have baseboard hot water I will not go back. Dont need the AC other than a small unit for the bedroom in the summer. I believe we have less dust as well with the baseboard hot water compared to the hot air, at least thats what the resident cleaning lady tells me.
Hot air is typically cheaper to install, furnace's last longer than boilers. I personally like hot air, I can put furniture against the walls unlike hydronic baseboards. And as stated, easier to have central air.
For the people that claim temp swings with hot air need to have someone that knows what they are doing set it up for them. If your house isn't insulated properly and is old and drafty then yes, you will get temp swings or the furnace will never shut off. In a properly built house, and a properly set up system you won't notice any temp swings. There are adjustments on the unit to control the temps at which the fan comes on and off and also some have variable speed fans. Properly placed and sized ducting is also required.
For the people that claim temp swings with hot air need to have someone that knows what they are doing set it up for them. If your house isn't insulated properly and is old and drafty then yes, you will get temp swings or the furnace will never shut off. In a properly built house, and a properly set up system you won't notice any temp swings. There are adjustments on the unit to control the temps at which the fan comes on and off and also some have variable speed fans. Properly placed and sized ducting is also required.
