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[agriffinjd]

What is the most efficient setup as far as wood consumption goes?  This is just in reference to heating the house and any buildings. It seems like forced air is more efficient than in floor radiant as you seems to have to waste btus by mixing down the hot water.  Is baseboard heat even more efficient or am I missing something? 

[slimjim]

Radiant is Definitely the best in my opinion, it feels great, not all radiant needs to be mixed down, it uses no added power, all three use a circ and the blower on your hot air unit uses 5 amps, baseboards take up valuable wall space

[willieG]

What is the most efficient setup as far as wood consumption goes?  This is just in reference to heating the house and any buildings. It seems like forced air is more efficient than in floor radiant as you seems to have to waste btus by mixing down the hot water.  Is baseboard heat even more efficient or am I missing something?

if you are mixing down the btu, you are not drawing them from the stove.

if you were to heat the same room with radiant or hot air or baseboard I am thinking you would use the same btu no matter how you delivered it. in fact hot air may use more as you may actually be pressuring the room slightly and making any air leaks more noticeable?  just my thoughts im sure the real pros can straighten us all out

[atvalaska]

 FACT  =water carries more btu's than air ..........""""Underfloor radiant heating involves under laying the floor with a hot element or tubing that transfers heat into the room via infrared radiation and convection, obviating the need for forced or blowing air.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Savers website, radiant heating has a number of advantages over other forms of heat distribution: “It is more efficient than baseboard heating and usually more efficient than forced-air heating because no energy is lost through ducts.” It is also flexible as it can run off of a variety of energy sources: Gas, oil, wood, solar and other sources or combinations thereof can feed radiant systems. And radiant heating is a good choice for those with severe allergies as no potentially irritating particles get blown around the room.

Several aspects of radiant heating make it more energy efficient. For starters, the uniform heat distribution over the entire surface of a floor heats the lower half of the room, enveloping inhabitants in warmth at a lower overall temperature—in some cases up to five degrees Fahrenheit cooler—than a conventional heating system. “Radiators and other forms of ‘point’ heating circulate heat inefficiently and hence need to run for longer periods to obtain comfort levels,” reports the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNet). “They draw cold air across the floor and send warm air up to the ceiling, where it then falls, heating the room from the top down, creating drafts and circulating dust and allergens.” RESNet adds that radiant systems transmit heat on average some 15 percent more efficiently than conventional radiators.

The efficiency gains can be magnified significantly with good insulation and a well-designed system. While tearing out old heating systems and/or replacing decent existing flooring might be overkill for the sake of moving to radiant heat, those embarking on new building projects or contemplating major renovations should certainly consider it. According to TLC Network’s Green Living Guide, there are two main types of radiant heating, electric and hydronic. In the former, heated wires installed in the floor radiate heat upward.

This type of radiant heat is most commonly used to retrofit a single room—especially a bathroom or kitchen—in an older house or building. Meanwhile, hydronic radiant heating, whereby heated water is forced through tubes under the floor, is more often designed into a new structure from the get-go, and is more energy efficient overall.

TLC points out that while radiant heat is definitely more efficient in smaller, snug homes with lower roofs, it might not always be the greenest solution in homes with bigger rooms: “In some scenarios it can be less energy efficient than forced-air heating.” TLC recommends consulting with a reputable heating contractor to see if radiant heating is a sensible way to go.""

even more here > http://contractormag.com/blog/radiant-heat-more-efficient-forced-air

[Jwood]

I wonder who came up with the idea that radiant is better for allergies? With forced air you are filtering all air coming out of the ducts. I have radiant in the basement and forced air in the upper level and would not change the setup I have. When mixing radiant you are just reusing water that has passed through the floor and pulling less boiler water so you are not wasting any more btu.