Home Heating Systems

There are many home heating systems on the marketplace today. Most of them boil down in to one of five categories, which have their own methods of keeping your home warm and inviting.

A home inspector or specialist in the home heating field can usually help you determine what the best heating options are for your home.

Space Heaters:

Space heaters are usually temporary solutions to a need for heating. These will operate on kerosene, gas, or electricity and provide a finite amount of heat to a specific area.

These heaters are used in smaller spaces, or in spaces with a limited range of heat needed. An area heated by a space heater is not considered to be a heated space, unless a unit has been permanently attached and fits into certain guidelines.

Space heaters should be used with caution, as they each have their own safety concerns based on combustible fuels or radiant heat sources.

Radiant Floor or Ceiling Heat:

Radiant floor heating systems use a heat source to warm an area. Radiant ceiling systems will often include dial-operated ceiling or wall mounted radiants. These elements will introduce heat into the area around them, or "radiate," much as the sun radiates heat to the earth. These systems do not require the use of fans or blowers.

The most popular form of radiant floor heat is known as hydronic heat. These home heating systems will introduce hot water from a boiler into tubes that flow beneath the floors.

The floor units resemble baseboard heat. These systems can be installed in ceilings as well, and are sometimes used in driveways to deter the buildup of snow and ice.

Radiant Baseboard Heating:

The baseboard heaters that you see are most often long metallic units that have electronic heating elements within. They have individual controls that will change the levels of heating between low and high, but the current temperature is not monitored through a thermostat.

Some homes heat solely through radiant baseboard heating. Others will use them to supplement the heating in rooms that stay cooler, or may be difficult to install ductwork in. Radiant baseboard heat is usually a more expensive option than a furnace.

Heat Pumps:

Electrical heat pumps will move the heat from one place to another. In the summer, they can perform the same service using cooler air.

These pumps will draw in ambient warmth from the ground and outdoors and supplement the heat if necessary. The heat is then transferred throughout the home. The vents resemble those of forced hot air, and the system operates on a thermostat for both heating and cooling. Make sure you research the best rated heat pumps before buying.

Furnaces:

Perhaps the most well recognized name in home heating, the furnace comes in several varieties and delivers heat in many different ways.

Electric furnaces will use elements or strips to heat air, which is passed along to vents, or registers. Wood or coal furnaces will have a firebox for burning, and an exchanger will heat the air before sending it on its way.

Gas or oil furnaces will have a pilot that will heat the exchange unit to distribute warm air. The air from furnace heated homes is delivered through ducts and vents that may appear on the floors, walls, or ceilings.

Though there are many options available for home heating, you will find that there are some that are better suited to your home than others.

A professional consultation will reveal what may work best for your unique home and why. This information will help you decide on your future home heating plan.