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Removing the cost factor, then most HVAC/plumber would recommend CAC & radiant. House will look nicer without the baseboards.
If cost is a factor, then go with CAC & FHA. Only caveat is that the air will be dryer and could be an issue for some.
With FHA you need to get a 2 or 3 stage unit, if you have the budget a modulating unit is best. This is for comfort reasons. As far as dry air goes a few $50 humidifiers solves that or $2500 system built into the heating system.
OP YOU ARE NOT TO USE BASEBOARDS IN A GUTTED HOUSE. Those things are so ugly, Radiant is very expensive, you will end up with FHA 95-97% AFUE modulating units!
For best efficiency baseboard heat + central air. Why? Simple physics. Warm air rises, cold air sinks. Natural convection. You also don't need to waste electricity running a fan during the heating season.
Forced air heat feels drier than hydronic (baseboard) heat although in reality it isn't. This may or may not be a plus for you.
Yes, having baseboard limits furniture placement. Or rather, SHOULD limit it because in order for convection to do its best work, the flow of air into the bottom of the baseboard and out the top should be unobstructed. Yet I have lost count of the times I've heard someone complain "our bedroom is the coldest room in the house" and then it turns out that they've put the head(board) of the king size bed, plus two tables, right in front of the baseboard run. WTH did they expect? Or the great room with a big honkin' 7-ft tall entertainment unit in a simialr location. Well DUH , of course you're not going to get the maximum warm air circulating in that room under those conditions. Yeesh.
I personally am not a fan of radiant heat although it can depend on the type of flooring underneath it and whether it's electric or hydronic radiant and what's underneath (framing over slab, or a basement.) Electric radiant = too expensive to run. Hydronic radiant = better hope there's never a leak.
I don't mind the appearance of heating baseboard, but one thing that always makes me go "ewww" are forced air registers located in a floor. I swear my allergies flare up by just looking at those things! Idiotic idea.
I grew up with cast iron radiators (hate/loathe/despise), lived for 30 years in houses with CAC/baseboard, then lived for 12 years in a house that had baseboard heat on the main floor and forced air heat on the second floor. After the first winter I discovered I hated the forced air heat. However due to the odd layout of the upstairs floor, it would have been $$$$ to convert that to baseboard also, so I put up with it. But never again.
Last edited by BBCjunkie; 03-14-2019 at 01:23 PM..
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I'm a fan of FHA & Central Air, the dryness if an issue can be overcome by adding a humidifier in the system. You don't mention what style of home/foundation?
I'm not sure what FHA is. Is that the Federal Housing Administration? We have a heat pump and and I really like it for heating and cooling but you need room for the unit outside and an attic for the tubes. Our system cost $12,000 installed, but it has saved us money on a month to month basis.
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