Brk-int, you already made the point about insulation upgrades improving fuel use regardless of type. I think your point about needing a "speedy" heat source for a seasonal home is good one. I have a second home that had insufficient radiation in the largest room. I keep the heat at about 55 while I am gone and raise it to 70 when I am there. This room would take 24 or more hours to heat up. I've since added an air handler, replacing undersized floor convectors and can heat the space up in a couple of hours or less. I think a forced hot water or hot air geothermal system, properly sized would yield the same results as a fossil fuel system, a btu is a btu, regardless of how it was produced. I think radiant floor heat is probably a poor choice to heat a space from a cold temperature to a warm temperature quickly, at least that is what I was told and did not want to find out after making the investment...
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