Steam Radiator heat? Keep or replace?

[Jack Moran]

Renovating a house for rent, would you keep or replace the steam radiators?   If you're replacing them, what would you replace them with?   

[Damian Bialonczyk]

I own a duplex in Marlborough which has a unit that still utilizes a steam radiator heating system. The system can be a bit noisy at times, but it generally functions well and for me it was not worth changing to an alternate. If you decide to stick with steam make sure any exposed piping is adequately insulated with fiberglass - we had a problem with higher-than-average heating costs which we discovered was due to inefficient heat transfer through exposed pipes. Another problem with my system is that the boiler needs to be refilled with water every ~2 weeks or so, which the tenant takes care of.