I don’t need to arrange furniture to accommodate vents.
One of my favorite things about my house in Springfield, Missouri, is the heated floors. When we first toured the property, I wasn’t thrilled to discover a boiler in the basement. I believed that boilers were noisy, dirty and expensive to operate. I knew that a boiler only provides heat, with no option for centralized cooling. Other than the boiler, my husband and I loved everything about the house and property. Once I did some research, I realized that a hydronic heating system is truly advantageous. Modern boilers operate silently, don’t introduce contaminants into the air and don’t cause issues with insufficient humidity. They are often recommended for anyone who suffers from acute asthma, allergies or respiratory infections. Because water heats up faster and retains heat longer than air, boilers don’t need to run as long, work as hard or use as much energy as a forced-air furnace. In our house, the boiler links to a series of pipes that are concealed beneath the floor. The boiler sends hot water through these pipes, which then spreads heat across the surface of the floor. Everything that sits upon the floor gets heated up and 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 cold pockets. Plus, the equipment is hidden under the floors. The pipes don’t occupy living space or detract from the decor. I don’t need to arrange furniture to accommodate vents. Another benefit of the heated floors is zone control. We have a thermostat in each room that allows for customized settings. We can adjust comfort to preference and avoid heating empty areas of the house.