Radiator heat vs. forced air for house renovation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Forced air heating systems... "degrade indoor air quality because the buffer
spaces where ducts are located are often moist and have large amounts of biological activity
(crawlspaces), dust including cockroach and other allergens (attics), and vehicle exhaust or
solvent storage (garages). Thus an HVAC system may serve to increase contaminant loading
in a space and may introduce contaminants "

One study (of MANY) by University of Texas at Austin: http://www.caee.utexas.edu/prof/siegel/papers/conference/siegel_forcedair_hb_680.pdf

EEEK!

The code calls for those ducts to be sealed and insulated and wrapped. Not an issue anymore.

That stops most cockroaches and other bugs from entering through the sides of the ducts. What about the vent openings in each room? Not only does that allow for living pests to travel throughout the house, it also allows for dead bugs, exoskeletons, eggs and feces to be distributed everywhere.

I have forced air myself, and I have to get it cleaned three times as often as recommended because I'm OCD and it's really shocking to find out what DISGUSTING things thrive in an HVAC system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Forced air heating systems... "degrade indoor air quality because the buffer
spaces where ducts are located are often moist and have large amounts of biological activity
(crawlspaces), dust including cockroach and other allergens (attics), and vehicle exhaust or
solvent storage (garages). Thus an HVAC system may serve to increase contaminant loading
in a space and may introduce contaminants "

One study (of MANY) by University of Texas at Austin: http://www.caee.utexas.edu/prof/siegel/papers/conference/siegel_forcedair_hb_680.pdf

EEEK!

The code calls for those ducts to be sealed and insulated and wrapped. Not an issue anymore.

That stops most cockroaches and other bugs from entering through the sides of the ducts. What about the vent openings in each room? Not only does that allow for living pests to travel throughout the house, it also allows for dead bugs, exoskeletons, eggs and feces to be distributed everywhere.

I have forced air myself, and I have to get it cleaned three times as often as recommended because I'm OCD and it's really shocking to find out what DISGUSTING things thrive in an HVAC system.

Old homes that have rads are not very well sealed. Newer homes have house wraps and are sealed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Old homes that have rads are not very well sealed. Newer homes have house wraps and are sealed.

But rads don't push bug feces into your fair like forced air does. Gross.

If anything, this thread has convinced me to look for radiators in my next home.

[Anonymous]

We have forced air in an old house and no bug infestations at all.

[Anonymous]

My 104-year old home in Bloomingdale had radiator heat. The radiators were beautiful and very warm. The only downfall is that there were no radiators in the basement so we had to use baseboard heat. It was hard heating the basement.
We sold that home and moved to another part of DC and now have heat pump in our addition and a furnace for the other part of the house.

The radiator heat was cheaper and quieter than the heat in my current home. I would love to have them back again.

[Anonymous]

Here's what I got from this thread: the home construction business pushes on us the cheapest heating system for them to install - forced air. Unfortunately, in the long run this is also the most expensive, most wasteful, least pleasant and least healthy one.

And for the PP who posts over and over that 'rads' are old, undesirable technology - not true. I've been in well built (15 years or newer) homes and apartment buildings with radiant floor heat. It's like heaven. Nice warmth, quiet, and low maintenance.

[Anonymous]

Rads are so desirable that they are being installed in all new homes ranging from $300K to the millions...... oh wait.

Why aren't rads being installed in these $5M mansions? Surely such mansions aren't cheap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rads are so desirable that they are being installed in all new homes ranging from $300K to the millions...... oh wait.

Why aren't rads being installed in these $5M mansions? Surely such mansions aren't cheap.

Radiant floor heat? Geothermal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rads are so desirable that they are being installed in all new homes ranging from $300K to the millions...... oh wait.

Why aren't rads being installed in these $5M mansions? Surely such mansions aren't cheap.

Why are all homes nowadays (including $5M ones) built with a wooden frame structure? Because it's cheap and fast, even though such a structure is fragile and not intended to last. No one makes solid brick homes any more even if a brick structure is superior. Same thing with forced air vs. radiators.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rads are so desirable that they are being installed in all new homes ranging from $300K to the millions...... oh wait.

Why aren't rads being installed in these $5M mansions? Surely such mansions aren't cheap.

Why are all homes nowadays (including $5M ones) built with a wooden frame structure? Because it's cheap and fast, even though such a structure is fragile and not intended to last. No one makes solid brick homes any more even if a brick structure is superior. Same thing with forced air vs. radiators.

Bingo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rads are so desirable that they are being installed in all new homes ranging from $300K to the millions...... oh wait.

Why aren't rads being installed in these $5M mansions? Surely such mansions aren't cheap.

Why are all homes nowadays (including $5M ones) built with a wooden frame structure? Because it's cheap and fast, even though such a structure is fragile and not intended to last. No one makes solid brick homes any more even if a brick structure is superior. Same thing with forced air vs. radiators.

Bingo.

+2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rads are so desirable that they are being installed in all new homes ranging from $300K to the millions...... oh wait.

Why aren't rads being installed in these $5M mansions? Surely such mansions aren't cheap.

Why are all homes nowadays (including $5M ones) built with a wooden frame structure? Because it's cheap and fast, even though such a structure is fragile and not intended to last. No one makes solid brick homes any more even if a brick structure is superior. Same thing with forced air vs. radiators.

Bingo.

+2

If that were the case everyone would use modular.