Radiant vs Forced Air Cost
We are gut renovating a 4 storey plus cellar brownstone and installing ducted air conditioning. We’ve been told its much cheaper to use hydronic forced air for heat, using the same ducted system rather than hydronic radiant floor heat. Anyone know the per sqft difference in cost of forced air vs radiant given that we…
We are gut renovating a 4 storey plus cellar brownstone and installing ducted air conditioning. We’ve been told its much cheaper to use hydronic forced air for heat, using the same ducted system rather than hydronic radiant floor heat.
Anyone know the per sqft difference in cost of forced air vs radiant given that we are already installing HVAC?
The house is 18×40 on 4 floors plus cellar.
Thanks and appreciate the advice
By hydronic forced air you mean hydro-air.
That’s when a coil of finned copper tubing is set in the ductwork of a forced central air system and hot water is circulated through the coil. As the ductwork’s fan comes on it blows the energy from the warm coil into the living space.
That is a more gentle and less-objectionable way to warm a home if you must go with forced air heating.
As for comparing the cost of that to radiant heat? If you’re going to do that, then do yourself a favor and just go with the hydro-air. The costs difference will be very high, but you have to understand they are apples and oranges.
http://www.GatewayPlumbing.com
Radiant floor heating is more expensive to install but more efficient and less costly to run. As someone who has radiant floor heat in my own home, I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. We love how comfortable it is and how we don’t have any unsightly radiators. I would choose radiant baseboard heating over forced air if you cannot afford the radiant floor heat.
As for cost, I cannot help you out. We installed the radiant tubing ourselves and labor is where you are going to get hit the hardest.
Also, it’s best to get a direct vent condensation boiler (high efficiency) if you are installing radiant floor heat.
if you have heated floors, do you need to have regular heat?
Perhaps what they are talking about is that they have an existing boiler for heat. Yes, you can use that hot water for a forced air system as well. I think both denton and I are confused as to what you are trying to accomplish.
If you are starting from scratch and want forced air AC then the most economical way to go is a forced air heating system as well with a furnace (preferable gas) rather than a separate hot water boiler.
“hydronic forced air ”
You mean forced air, not hydronic. Hydronic means water.