What Type of Furnace Is Right for You?
Although furnaces can last anywhere from 18 to 20 years, every once in a while you'll need to consider having a new heating installation put into your home. Whether that's because your old system is defunct, or you're trying to take advantage of newer technologies, knowing what to look for in your new heating installation can make sure that your house runs efficiently and strong for years to come.
If you're having a hard time trying to figure out which heating installation is right for your home, consider the following examples.
Central Warm Air
Just like central air conditioning, a central warm-air furnace consists of one larger unit that creates the warm air and then distributes it through the air vents in your home. These are by far the most popular units in homes around America and can either be powered by gas, electricity, or even oil. They can also either distribute the air via gravity or forced air, which uses a fan to push the air through the ductwork and into your home. These types of systems are perfect for midsize homes that require several rooms to heat at the same time but also maintain a relatively low footprint.
Wood Stoves
Historically, the choice for homes that require at least some level of heating in their home, wood stoves are usually placed in the corner of a room or even into the wall to heat a small space. While they deliver hot air to the room that they're in, they can also be attached to ductwork to provide hot air throughout the house. They're not as efficient as a motorized furnace, but the cost is much lower. All you need for fuel is wood, which needs to be bought or scavenged nearby.
Heat Pumps
Also called a reverse-cycle system, heat pumps provide the double advantage of not only heating your home in the winter but cooling it in the summer. In the wintertime, a heat pump will take in the cold air from the outside and convert it into hot air using a forced-air system in your home (this process moves in reverse during the summer). If you're looking to not only upgrade your furnace but also your air conditioning system, consider a heat pump as your next heating installation.
Radiant Floor Heat
One of the newest technologies to hit the market in recent times is radiant floor heat, which uses tubes underneath the flooring to put heat directly into the room. Since the pipes travel underneath the floor, it has the advantage of being highly controllable and efficient, but unfortunately, is also very expensive and can limit what type of flooring you can put in your home. It also requires a technician with knowledge of radiant heat to install, so ask your local HVAC company if this is a system that they offer.
Contact heating installation companies to learn more about furnaces.
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