One of my number one things about my condo in Springtimefield, MO, is the radiant floors. When my friend and I first toured the property, I wasn’t thrilled to discover a boiler in the basement; I believed that boilers were noisy, dirty & costly to operate. I knew that a boiler only provides heat, with no option for centralized cooling, but other than the boiler, my hubby & I enjoyed everything about the condo & property. Once I did some research, I realized that a hydronic heating system is absolutely advantageous. Modern boilers operate silently, don’t introduce contaminants into the air & don’t cause concerns with unsatisfactory humidity. They are often recommended for anyone who suffers from acute asthma, dust irritations or respiratory infections, and because water heats up faster & retains heat longer than air, boilers don’t need to run as long, work as strenuous or use as much energy as a forced-air boiler. In our house, the boiler affixs to a series of pipes that are concealed beneath the floor. The boiler sends boiling water through these pipes, which then spreads heat across the surface of the floor! Everything that sits upon the floor gets heated up & contributes to radiating heat into the room. The temperature near the ceiling never varies more than three degrees from the thermostat setting. There is no stratification or freezing pockets, but plus, the device is hidden under the floors. The pipes don’t occupy residing space or detract from the decor. I don’t need to arrange furniture to accommodate vents, but another benefit of the radiant floors is zone control. We have a thermostat in each room that allows for customized settings. We can adjust comfort to preference & avoid heating empty areas of the house.