For condos in a 6-unit bldg, is individual forced air heat cheaper than steam radiators on a common boiler?

Question

I have read that water-based radiators are much more efficient and pleasant than forced air, but I can't find comparisons for steam radiators. With steam, you can not control the temperature of individual radiators (so some rooms are terribly overheated while others are freezing) and boilers are apparently often oversized because they were installed/sized before the invention of double-hung windows and other weather proofing devices resulting in a lot of waste. In addition, all of the people in our building keep different hours, which means that many of us are paying for heat we do not use and sometimes do not want (like at night). Our heating bill is enormous--in the neighborhood of $300-$400 a month per unit for a 1200s ft apt. Also, none of us have central air, which would be a great benefit to having forced air heat (use the same ducts for a/c). I believe central AC would also be more efficient. Does anyone know what makes the most financial sense or where to look for answers?

Answer 1

Get some quotes from an HVAC company. Todays furnaces are much more efficient than even those of 10 years ago, let alone steam heat.

"Radiant" heating does not have to be the old radiators on the walls anymore.... you can have radiant heat lines installed in floors, or ceilings now, or, there are even some small units that look like electric baseboard heaters.

Bottom line for myself?? If its a 'condo'... I own it... Id rather have forced air than the old radiators any day, heheheh.

Check with your electric utility also, when getting prices on new systems... you can sometimes get rebates, or credits, by switching over to electric furnaces.

First thing I would do, would be to get some quotes coming in by the local HVAC dealers.

Good Luck

Answer 2

All-in-all, I think radiators give a better, more even heat. Also, they do not give a dry heat like a forced air system. This will reduce on dry skin, static electricity, all problems w/ dry winter heat. However, I do not know which is more efficient to run between the two. Also, you have a valid argument that the radiators take up space in a room. If you remove them, though, what about the floors underneath? Will that be a major repair that will cost the difference between the two systems?

Answer 3

In the Southwest where they don't have a heat problem they use forced air but, in the colder climates where the winter temps drop down there, the heaters with a boiler is better.

Answer 4

Changing to forced air in an old building that has stem heat would be a costly task.

Check with a heating contractor & see if you can get some numbers & if in fact it can be made to work.