--74.102.xx.xx

Is 8A enough for a baseboard heater? --99.92.xxx.xxx

Thanks Hoosier. Actually, I was just reading the label on the baseboard heater, which says 240v 8.4amps. No one has complained about not being warm enough. --74.102.xx.xx

But there are different type of Heaters with Fans that due radiate batter and the air is forced more evenly throughout the room. You can mount some of those heaters on a wall or have a free standing model with a tip over safety feature. --47.156.xx.xx

Use what you have. I added some baseboard heat in two north facing rooms in the stone house. Just a couple feet. Also added some in a play room over the garage in another. Comes up fast, works well. Helps keep tenants. Properly placed thermostat will keep the room comfortable. --71.188.xx.xxx

Cripes, a 5000 btu window unit costs $175 and installation costs zero. An electric baseboard probably costs $100, has no moving parts to wear out, and I assume you can also install that so no install cost. Why in the world would you consider anything else? --70.90.xx.xxx

To look at heating is only part of the solution where upgrading insulation in walls and ceiling along with Low E argon window will dramatically reduce heat loss. It more expensive to install where radiant floor electric heating will require less current along more efficient as there more surface area. Some steam boilers can be converted to forced hot water where more efficient as lower operating temperatures. Steam oil and gas boilers are very rare here. If converted to forced hot water then it would easy to add a radiator with commercial Uponor pex piping or Uponor pex radiant floor heating. A lot depends on who is paying for heat where tenants there is less concern about energy costs. A small high efficiency split pump will draw less current as more efficient then baseboard heat. The main problem with electric baseboards is safety where if towel is put on top there is chance of a fire. Most baseboards operate at 240 VAC where the current is less at 240 VAC where 240 X 8 amps is 1920 Watts. --68.69.xxx.xxx

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eheat dot com --98.237.xxx.xx

Some contractors can convert a boiler to forced hot water where most sectional cast iron boilers have fittings for forced hot water. A steam boiler and hot water boiler uses the same heat exchanger where it involves adding circulation pump and radiators as hot water radiators require more surface area. The most economical way is use Uponor pex heating pipe then use copper finned convection radiators. If use a split high efficinency heat pump where the heat pump only works as the capacitiy required for heat in other words the compressor only turns according to heat load where the high efficiency split pump is never over sized. A small split heat pump will not have any problems to heat or cool a room. Steam heating is a very archaic heating system. In future if ever the boiler requires replacement then it is better to go with forced hot water. Lower temperatures the boiler will last longer. Insulation will help as the room will be warmer in the winter where as long the door is open it may work. Spray foam has the least heat transfer. --68.69.xxx.xxx

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Robert, my steam heat system works well now other than some noises, but in the future when it goes, I’m going to investigate forced hot water and I’ll be re-reading your post. Right now, I have hydrostatic vent valves on all the steam radiators, so it makes a nice pseudo- multi-zone heat system. Thank you! --74.102.xx.xx

Remember that hot water does not use the same size radiators or piping when you get ready to change. --71.188.xx.xxx

The objective here is to lower boiler temperature by 100 degrees Fahreheit where radiant floor or more radiators will operate at a lower temperature as high efficiency gas boilers extract most the heat from the secondary heat exchanger at a lower temperature. The radiation with in floor is high mass where heat is spread out over entire floor where the room seems warm. Higher levels of insulation, Low E windows will keep heat in. Steam heat raditors are small as high temperatures low mass will work. --68.69.xxx.xxx

I think Robert is explaining that too with the floor heating, spread out over entire floor, as it is operating at a lower temperature. Seems like the lower the temperature the more area you need to radiate the same about of heat. I'd guess some compensation can be given at lower operating temperatures by adding insulation/air sealing. --74.102.xx.xx

In one of the apartment when installed two high efficiency gas boilers and a indirect hot water tank still had the copper finned low mass radiators where in very cold days and nights the boilers had to operate a higher temperatures. Once the heating loop temperture goes above 60 Celsius or 120 F then the boilers no longer operate in condensate mode where the efficiency drops from 95 down to 85 as the secondary heat exchange extracts less heat. Would need to install more copper finned radiation or install panel radiators to maximize efficiency during the very cold months. During the day was able to maximize effficiency where at night lost efficiency. During times of high hot water demand has to push both boilers to maximum 88 degrees Celsuis or 190 F to maintain hot water for 320 litres or 80 gallon indirect hot water tank. The heat would turn off for 10 to 20 minutes until the hot water tank was restored. The building temperature would not drop as there were good windows. Since spary foaming house the furnace will operate a lot less time as stay in first stage then not go into second higher stage. Every year removing fiberglass then spray foaming section by section. Last night used wood stove where furnace did not come at all today. --68.69.xxx.xxx

It sounds like spray foam has been a very effective air seal and insulator. I really haven't heard anything bad about it other than the cost and if something goes wrong, outgassing. Gotta give it a try. Thanks Robert --74.102.xx.xx