I grew up and went to school in the southern part of the country.
I lived near the ocean and was familiar with temperature in the triple digits and high humidity.
My home was not even equipped with a heating system. After college, I sent out resumes all over the country and was offered a job in Glenview, Illinois. Although I was not familiar with the area and had never even seen snow before, I was excited to relocate. I moved in the early fall, and the weather was only slightly chilly. I only needed a light jacket. The changing colors of the leaves were beautiful. There were fresh apples, squash, tomatoes, zucchini and all sorts of delicious fruits and vegetables at that time of year. I wasn’t prepared for how quickly the outside temperature dropped. By the end of October, there was snow on the ground and conditions below freezing. By Christmas, the temperature was in the negative digits with feet of snow on the ground. I was very thankful to have a house equipped with a boiler heating system. At the beginning of the winter, I didn’t realize how important the heating system would be. However, in Glenview, the cold weather lasts for more than half the year. I typically run the boiler for eight straight months. This type of heating system heats water and sends it through a system of pipes that link to baseboards in each room of the house. The heat is radiated into the air at floor level and rises very slowly. It creates a very consistent temperature and gentle style of comfort. A hydronic system avoids drying out the air, operates silently and doesn’t introduce contaminants into the air.