Comparing Three Common Home Heating Options
The leaves are changing and a chilly wind is blowing, so it's time to start thinking about ways to stay warm and cozy through the cold winter months. If you're in the process of constructing a new house, then your mind has probably turned to how you'll keep that dream home toasty even when the weather outside is frightful. While existing homeowners tend to be limited in their options for new heating systems (at least, without massive renovation), the sky is the limit when it comes to installing heating in a new house. Below you will find three typical options for home heating, along with some reasons why you might want to choose each one.
Forced Air Furnaces
Forced air systems work by using a blower to distribute warm air through your home's duct system. With a forced air system, you will generally select between natural gas, oil, and electric furnaces. Natural gas is usually the most energy-efficient option, but oil or electricity can be reasonable choices when natural gas is unavailable.
The chief advantage of a forced air system is that it can make use of your existing ductwork in your home, allowing your air conditioning and heating to share a single distribution system. While this isn't as important for new construction, it does mean that you won't need to run separate pipes for a boiler or radiant heating system. If you are already having a central air conditioning system installed, then this can offer significant cost savings. Furnaces also tend to cost about 50% less than boilers.
Radiators
Rather than using a furnace to heat air, home heating systems based on radiators use a boiler to heat water. Unlike forced air systems, radiators require the installation of pipes to run hot water to each room. Boilers also tend to be more than expensive than equivalent furnaces, but they are more efficient, as well.
Unlike forced air systems, radiators don't rely on moving air through a room to provide warmth. Since the air does not need to circulate to produce heat, radiators tend to deliver even heating without creating warm and cold spots throughout a room. Since warm air isn't flowing from vents, radiators also avoid the "drafty" feeling that some people experience with forced air heating.
Radiant or Underfloor Heating
Radiant heating is an alternative to radiators. It uses the same system of hot water distributed by pipes, but the pipes run directly underneath the floors of your home instead of being connected to radiators. Radiant heating systems are usually the most expensive option for home heating, but they offer all of the advantages of traditional radiators along with their own set of benefits. By heating the floors of your home, less heat is wasted in the upper layers of a room where it cannot be enjoyed. Radiant heating is also a great option to keep hardwood or tile flooring from being too uncomfortable on cold days.
Whichever option you choose, be sure to discuss your goals and budget with your HVAC contractor. A professional contractor like High Tech Heating & Air Conditioning Inc can help guide you towards the system that is best for your home's particular layout so that you can enjoy a warm and inviting home all winter long.
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