Reply To: Updating our heating system

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squeak
Participant

rescue37-

Can you say why you are recommending pressurized hot water system over steam?

My perspective is that steam is

1) safer- the heat rises naturally, and not by means of a pump. Returns to the boiler naturally as well (gravity). The pump is an added component and a potentially volatile one at that.

2) easier to maintain- no need to bleed the system and each radiator

3) uses less water- a couple of gallons total

4) at least as efficient (cost wise)

Now if you were talking about a water system without radiators, i.e. radiant floor heating then I’d agree that a water system has advantages. Specifically, that since the water in the pipes is heated to a lower temperature (100-105 degrees instead of 160-180 for water radiator), it can be modified to use geothermals. But the cost of laying radiant floor tubing is enormous.