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Folks, I’m faced with an unexpectedly complicated decision about my heating system. After extensive changes in the layout of my home (the living/dining/kitchen switched floors with the bedrooms to better use the view), it’s time to replace the boiler. A chat with a realtor left me drop-jawed that the place could be worth so much (the view!), and while I don’t care about central AC, I realize any home in this price range should have it. My question is based on these factors: lots of open walls, floors, etc., that would make running ducts easy at this point; some–perhaps significant–alteration needed in the existing hydronic layout due to changes in the floorplan (2 rads sit a few feet apart because a wall was removed between them, for example); my impression that boilers cost significantly more than furnaces for the same output; I like the quiet, even heat from the rads, but they are bulky intrusions I wouldn’t miss otherwise. Like I said, it’s replacement time anyway, so what would you do? Thanks. John
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Folks, I'm faced with an unexpectedly complicated decision about my heating system. After extensive changes in the layout of my home (the living/dining/kitchen switched floors with the bedrooms to better use the view), it's time to replace the boiler. A chat with a realtor left me drop-jawed that the place could be worth so much (the view!), and while I don't care about central AC, I realize any home in this price range should have it. My question is based on these factors: lots of open walls, floors, etc., that would make running ducts easy at this point; some--perhaps significant--alteration needed in the existing hydronic layout due to changes in the floorplan (2 rads sit a few feet apart because a wall was removed between them, for example); my impression that boilers cost significantly more than furnaces for the same output; I like the quiet, even heat from the rads, but they are bulky intrusions I wouldn't miss otherwise. Like I said, it's replacement time anyway, so what would you do? Thanks. John