I asked this question once already, but I guess I didn't give enough info, so I am going to try this again. Bare with me because I honestly don't know anything about this, that is why I'm trying to get info on here. I am currently looking at buying a house that is heated with a boiler furnace. There are base board vents through out the house, and multiple thermostats to control the heating in the different zones of the house. I'm not sure if this also controls the hot water, or if there is a seperate hot water heater. My understanding is that there are lines that run along the base boards, hot water runs through them and some how heats the house?!?! Like I said, I really don't know, and I am just trying to get a better understanding of this system. ANY info on them would be much appriciated, such as cost to replace them, repair them, or service them. Common problems to watch out for, how they opperate, and if it would be better than a regular furnace.
Definitely worth getting a reputable heating tech to familiarize you with the system and check it out to see how old it is, how efficiently it is running, how clean. They can be expensive to replace, a few years ago I paid about $5,000, but it was an emergency installation when it died in the middle of the winter. If you do need to replace it you can shop around for a much more efficient system. My advice, don't ignore it, and be well aware of what is going on with it. It is money well spent to perform maintenance on a heating system. My furnace heats my hot water as well, but I hear it is more efficient to have an auxillary water tank. They are super insulated and do not call upon the furnace as much to keep the water up to temp.
I can't tell from your description whether your system is hot water or steam. Usually, with baseboard radiators, it is hot water which means you do not have a boiler, just a hot water furnace. It is heated by burning either natural gas or oil. The baseboard units radiate the heat carried by the water into the room. Each baseboard should have isolation valves and a small vent (operated by a key). You should bleed any air out of each radiator by opening the vent allowing any air to escape until water comes out of the vent. Start on the lower floors and work your way up to the upper floors of the house. Bleeding the air will maximize the efficiency. If you don't get water out, the system needs to have water added. Look for a supply valve near the heater. This heating system may or may not have a separate water heater for non-heating purposes (bath, laundry, kitchen etc.). Take a trip to your basement and get familiar with system. Get your gas or oil supplier or a plumber to walk you through the piping and valves.
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