The plumber said there are two types of boiler/radiator heaters. One is a cast iron and I believe he said the other was a thin fin. Which is better? The burn natural gas. Mine has gone out
The boiler unit itself will either be water or steam. Water is easier to work with and in most cases cheaper. Steam produces more heat, but can cause serious damage if there is a leak. The registers, I think this is by choice, I prefer the thin fin; they're not quite the eye-sore as radiators.
What is a Furnace? A furnace is an enclosed heating unit that heats air by transferring heat in a metal combustion chamber to the air and circulating it throughout heating ducts in the house. Furnaces can run on electricity, natural gas, propane or fuel oil. What is a Boiler? A boiler is a heating system that consists of a sealed chamber that converts water to steam or heats water for circulation in a hydronic heating system. If you have radiators distributed throughout your home you have a boiler. (Although some boilers distribute heat through baseboard heaters or even radiant pipes embedded in your floors!) What Is a Heat Pump? A heat pump is an electric air conditioning and heating system that captures existing outdoor heat and transfers the heat into the home. Like a warm-air furnace a heat pump distributes heat through the air ducts in your home. Your Current Heating System: What You Need to Know Before purchasing a new heating system, you need to know what type of heating system you currently have. (If you have a boiler and your want to install a warm-air furnace you would need to go through the expensive process of installing new ductwork!) Three things to consider when purchasing a new or upgrading your heating system:
When replacing a radiator, the cast iron is by far the best. It costs a little more, but carries heat better and is not as hot to the touch as the thin fin types, which is important for anyone with kids. In terms of the heating system, a boiler is far superios to a gas forced air furnace, but it sounds like you are not replacing the entire heating unit, just the one radiator, right? In this case, the boiler/furnace debate is not relevant -- go with the cast iron radiator.
none a furnace is the best
