The house I grew up in was heated with a boiler system. The boiler was a gigantic piece of equipment installed into the basement that linked to radiators in each room. The radiators took up quite a bit of space. The furniture needed to be arranged around them because the radiators became extremely hot to the touch. They would hiss whenever the heat started up, and my mother would constantly warn my brother and I to keep away from them. When I first got married and my husband and I were looking to buy a home, I didn’t want a boiler heating system. We spent nearly eight months touring different properties, searching for the ideal location, square footage, layout and price range. When we finally came across a house that met all of our criteria, it was outfitted with a boiler. I wasn’t happy. Since moving into our new house a couple of years ago, I’ve learned that boiler technology has come a long way over the years. Our system is quite compact, totally silent and requires very little maintenance. Modern radiators are streamlined, unobtrusive and mounted to the wall. They don’t become hot to the touch and yet radiate plenty of heat. The heat from a hydronic system is especially gentle and doesn’t dry out the air. There are no drafts, stratification or introduction of air contaminants. Because of how quickly water heats up, the boiler and radiators are wonderfully energy efficient. I’ve come to realize that the heating system is one of the best features of the house. No matter how cold it gets outside, our living environment is perfectly warm and cozy. This heating installation was so worth it!