In the area where I live, the winter season is the priority. The cold weather tends to last about eight months, with temperatures frequently dropping into the negative digits and a tremendous amount of snow. Having a powerful, reliable and energy efficient heating system is a priority. My home is outfitted with a condensing boiler, which easily handles the most severe winter conditions. The boiler is a compact unit located in the basement that is linked to a series of pipes hidden beneath the floor of the home. The pipes create a closed system that loops and carries heated water to every room. The heat is spread evenly across the floor, from wall to wall and corner to corner. Rather than blowing heated air, the heat is infused into the air, keeping the highest temperatures closest to the floor. There is very little temperature stratification between the floor and the ceiling. Plus, the heated floors avoid the problem of drafts, cold spots and the influx of air contaminants. The equipment is entirely hidden beneath the floor, taking up no living space and never detracting from aesthetics. I don’t need to arrange my furniture to accommodate vents. The heated floors are entirely silent, require no maintenance and allow lower thermostat settings than a conventional forced air furnace. They also accommodate zoned heating, so that I can customize comfort room to room. It is such a pleasure to get out of bed on a cold winter morning and set my bare feet on warm floors. The only drawback of the system is that it doesn’t offer cooling capability. In my local area, I’ve never needed air conditioning.
The different types of thermostats