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.

"Dave M." wrote in message
...
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.

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.

Dave M. wrote:

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.

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.

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

Dave M. wrote:

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.

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.


Thanks to both posters.

On May 9, 9:49 pm, "Dave M." wrote:
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.

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.

In article .com, Lawrence wrote:
On May 9, 9:49 pm, "Dave M." wrote:
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.

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.

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.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

"Dave M." wrote in message
...
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.

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.