What's the best type of heating system to look for in your next home?

There are many variations of heating systems, and various energy sources to go along with those choices. Determining what is best for you is a matter of preference, and an initial understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of each type.  When we find the home of your dreams, ask the building inspector the very important questions, and  you may also choose to hire a plumber, electrican  or HVAC specialist to evaluate the home's system  and get some expert advice.

Forced Air - Description: Central forced-air heating systems are by far the most popular method of heating homes in the USA. When the thermostat tells the system that room temperatures are below the desired temperature, an "air handler" kicks on, drawing room air from a “cold-air return” through ductwork into the furnace’s heat exchanger, where the burners or electric heating elements turn on to heat the air as it moves through the air handler. The blower then forces the warmed air through a network of ductwork back to the rooms. The cycle continues until the desired temperature is reached and the thermostat turns the system off. Fuel Sources  Boilers may be fueled by natural gas, propane, oil or electricity.

BENEFITS: -Faster warm-up because it is blowing warm air into the house. You can install add-ons such as  a humidifier, an ionizing air cleaner, and it's very easy to add air conditioning . You can easily shut and open vents to heat necessary areas only. No pipework showing.

DRAWBACKS: Can be noisy. Not the best choice for an occupant who has allergies. Heat distribution can be uneven, and heat in rooms can vary greatly. When the desired temperature is reached, the furnace  turns off and no residual heat remains except what is in the air. Vents need to be cleaned often to maintain optimal efficiency. Air can become quite dry.

Baseboard  Heating - (also called hydronic)  Description: -Hot water is heated by a boiler and piped to "fin-tube" baseboard units mounted along walls. The fins increase the surface area of heat dissipation making the unit more efficient. Air is distributed by convection as air rises and is heated by the baseboard unit. Fuel Sources  Boilers may be fueled by natural gas, propane, oil or electricity.

BENEFITS: Stable heating.  When  the desired temperature is reached, the boiler turns off and baseboards are still warm and throw heat  Energy efficient. Quiet  Close temperature control. The system does not blow dirt, dust, bacteria, viruses and pet dander around the house all winter long. Does not circulate odors through the home.

DRAWBACKS: Baseboards are best when they remain unobstructed, but can provide challenges in furniture placement and drape design. Slow temperature increase.
Air conditioning requires a separate ductwork distribution and cooling system. A leak in a hot water system usually means water damage

Radiators - Description: A gas or oil-fired burner is responsible for heating water and turning it into steam. This steam is then passed through a series of pipes, eventually escaping through a radiator or convector. At this point, rooms are warmed by the heat given off by the steam. Once the steam cools off and condenses itself, the water returns to the boiler to be heated all over again. Fuel Sources  Boilers may be fueled by natural gas, or oil.

BENEFITS: stable heating  not a dry heat.. easy to replace, if and when needed.  quietwhen desired temperature is reached, boiler turns off and radiators are still warm and throw heat   does not blow dirt, dust, bacteria, viruses and pet dander around the house all winter long.do not circulate odors through the home

DRAWBACKS: Consiered old-style. Costly to add central air. Larger, bulkier and take up more space. Radiator covers stop full potential and not cost effecient. Can be a messy job to clean out a radiator.
Awkward to decorate around. A leak in a hot water system usually means water damage

Hydro Air - Description: The hydro-air heating system combines the benefits of forced hot air system with the advantages of circulating hot water home heating systems which function with moist air and thus result in significantly less drying for skin and hair. With a boiler as its heat source, the hydro-air system can produce domestic hot water. Like a forced hot air system, both warm and cool air can be delivered to each room via air ductwork. The hydro-air systems are among the most versatile and luxurious indoor comfort system available today. Fuel Sources  May be fueled by natural gas, propane, electricity or oil.

BENEFITS: Uniform, comfortable heating through circulating warm air
Air conditioning  Great ventilation and fresh air recovery  Humidification  Abundant domestic hot water supply. Extremely flexible installations for large homes.

DRAWBACKS: Very costly to install. You would need a plumber to install pipes, and an  HVAC contractor to install ductwork. The heat distribution can be uneven, and heat in rooms can vary somewhat. Not the best choice for an occupant who has allergies . When the desired temperature is reached, the system  turns off and no residual heat remains except what is in the air .

Electric Furnaces- Description: Electric furnaces consist primarily of a resistor unit, which works like the burner of an electric stove, converting electrical energy to thermal energy. The heat warms air in the furnace, and travels through the ductwork of the house.

BENEFITS:  Extremely safe. Electric furnaces are known to last longer than conventional gas, propane, or oil fired heating systems, and require less maintenance. No noise. Electric furnaces are typically smaller, so their installation is less involved.  Maintenance of an electric furnace is typically straight-forward, and largely consists of ensuring that the furnace filters are cleaned or replaced per the manufacturer's instructions.

DRAWBACKS: electric furnaces cost more to run. (with the exception of electric heat-pump systems) Dry heat. It is also important to consider that if bad weather knocks out the electricity, electric furnaces are not going to work at a time when you need heat the most.

Radiant Heat - Description: Radiant heating systems involve supplying heat directly to the floor or to panels in the wall or ceiling of a house. The systems depend largely on radiant heat transfer: the delivery of heat directly from the hot surface to the people and objects in the room via the radiation of heat, which is also called infrared radiation. Radiant heating is the effect you feel when you can feel the warmth of a hot stovetop element from across the room. When radiant heating is located in the floor, it is often called radiant floor heatin

BENEFITS:  Stable heating. Warm floors. Radiant heating does not blow dirt, dust, bacteria, viruses and pet dander around the house all winter long.  Cost efficient- Studies conducted by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) indicate that with radiant heating systems people can be comfortable at temperatures 6°F to 8°F lower than with hot air systems. Radiant heat does  not circulate odors through the home  energy efficient

DRAWBACKS: Costly to add central air. In-floor piping can be difficult to access for repairs or maintenance initially. Heating the home can take longer as it takes time to warm radiant material.

I have some basic knowledge of all these systems, but the best person to talk to is your building inspector, or heating specialist.

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For a comfortable home in an area with climatic variations, heating systems must never be left out when planning a house. This blog can be of great help on choosing the heating system that best suits his/her needs.