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Forced Hot Air with Hydro Baseborad radiators - Can I do both?

FMA124
FMA124 Member Posts: 17
in Radiant Heating
Looking for some advise -- I currently have forced Hot air and we like how quick it is to warm but it does not hold the heat well and we find many cold spots in the house. Is there something wrong with inserting a baseboard loop to help supplement the forced air? could I connect them to the same thermostat so not to over heat? Would I be spending double on energy? FYI - I live in a concrete house where the walls are Block, floors and ceilings are 6 inch slabs.
If anyone has heard of drawbacks of using both together I would really appreciate the feed back.

Comments

  • JStar
    JStar Member Posts: 2,752
    I would convert the entire house to some form of hydronic heat. It will be more comfortable and much more efficient.
    RobG
  • FMA124
    FMA124 Member Posts: 17
    would it cost more to run both? as the Forced Air is a year old and was thinking of adding radiators to keep the warmth feeling longer (should have just gone that way from the beginning but these extra cold winters are hard)
  • bmwpowere36m3
    bmwpowere36m3 Member Posts: 512
    Forced hot air or hydro air? I.e. do you have a boiler?
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,796
    Just out of curiosity is this the same house you posted about a couple years ago that had a steam heating system?
    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
  • FMA124
    FMA124 Member Posts: 17
    yes it was!! the plumber convinced me to just go the forced hot air to save some $$ and it's been OK on the normal days but in the extreme cold days it's not so good -- I can easily supplement the Forced Hot Air with some Radiators linked to the same Thermostat? (Maybe) - just to get better comfort. -- Is this just crazy to do?
  • FMA124
    FMA124 Member Posts: 17
    It is Hydro Air I guess - the Boiler works to heat the unit that pushes the air
  • bmwpowere36m3
    bmwpowere36m3 Member Posts: 512
    I don't see why not... but without more systems details (current piping, supply temps, etc.) it's all speculation.
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,231
    Yet another professional convinced a customer to rip out a system just because he didn't understand it. :(

    That shot is by no means aimed at you @FMA124 .

    I don't know that I'd run both but you could always have some form of hydronic heat installed (steam, radiant, baseboard etc) and then keep the hot air as a backup system.

    I wouldn't run both at once though if it was me.

    Another option may be to spend the money on tightening up the house. Eliminate drafts etc as forced hot air doesn't tolerate such things.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • FMA124
    FMA124 Member Posts: 17
    thank you! I am working on tightening up the house but since it's a concrete structure I keep finding ways for the cold to get in. I will be using the Baseboard radiators just in the first floor where it is easy to install. I figure if the Boiler is on producing hot water one more loop should not make much difference in energy use. Especially if it gets the room warmer quicker and would stay warmer.

    A little extra work for me but I will be doing this myself and it will be a learning experience. My Dad has done this many times and will be there to make sure I don't mess up.
  • FMA124
    FMA124 Member Posts: 17
    ChrisJ
    I had about 6 plumbers come in to look at my Steam heat as I needed two more radiators upstairs and none of them wanted to touch it. They ALL recommended I go a different way and it was more my Wife that wanted a clean NO Baseboard look in the house and the Plumber told her it would save us 19k -- still not sure how it was 19k as I'm going to do it for much less now but just trying to fix an uncomfortable problem - the house is fine just in the extreme cold days it's bad
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,231
    FMA124 said:

    ChrisJ
    I had about 6 plumbers come in to look at my Steam heat as I needed two more radiators upstairs and none of them wanted to touch it. They ALL recommended I go a different way and it was more my Wife that wanted a clean NO Baseboard look in the house and the Plumber told her it would save us 19k -- still not sure how it was 19k as I'm going to do it for much less now but just trying to fix an uncomfortable problem - the house is fine just in the extreme cold days it's bad

    @FMA124 Curious, where are you located?
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • FMA124
    FMA124 Member Posts: 17
    Westchester NY
  • FMA124
    FMA124 Member Posts: 17
    Chris J -- Any specific reason you would not run both at the same time?
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,231
    FMA124 said:

    Chris J -- Any specific reason you would not run both at the same time?

    Just seems like it would be unnecessary wear and also cause problems.

    Of course, you would know for sure after trying it. I don't think it would hurt anything. I'll admit I hate forced hot air so that might be another reason I'm biased against running it.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • FMA124
    FMA124 Member Posts: 17
    Thank you - I am going to try both to see how it works as I figure Baseboard should stay warmer longer and warm the concrete much more than the forced air - and the Forced air should move the heat around the room much quicker

    Do you think keeping both on one thermostat makes sense or keep them separate ?
  • bmwpowere36m3
    bmwpowere36m3 Member Posts: 512
    I don't know about heating the concrete... baseboard (fin-tube) mostly puts out heat via natural convection. Basically like forced air without the forced air ;)
  • FMA124
    FMA124 Member Posts: 17
    bmwpowere36m3 said:

    I don't know about heating the concrete... baseboard (fin-tube) mostly puts out heat via natural convection. Basically like forced air without the forced air ;)

    I guess what I mean is that it will be more concentrated against the floor and walls instead of just the air.
    As long as you guys don't think it will double my energy use or hurt, I think I am willing to have fun doing the work.

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