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WHICH HEATING SYSTEM SHOULD YOU OPT FOR?

The heating system used in the home plays a crucial role in your comfort and your energy expenses. In case you have had the same heating system for more than a decade or two, then you might be spending more to keep it running. Whether you are renovating your house or building a new one, you need an ideal way to heat up the home. This way is not only cost-effective but also efficient. You could choose many options, like radiant in-floor heating, furnace, boiler, and heat pumps. We have listed some of the popular choices for you below.

Radiant Floor Heating

Radiant floor heating is one of the most popular ways to heat up the house. In this, the system controls the house’s temperature by pumping heated water through the pipes installed underneath the flooring. It is one of the most efficient ways to heat the home and can be controlled easily. However, it is a costly option and can be used with only specific flooring material.

Furnace

A lot of people prefer to opt for central furnaces. These are usually powered by electricity, natural gas, or fuel oil. The heated air is pushed through the ducts, which distribute the warmth throughout the house. A thermostat is installed to control the temperature level and when to keep it on and off. If you are looking at furnaces, choose the highest AFUE (Annual fuel utilization efficiency) number to get the best efficiency.

Boiler

As the name gives it away, boilers use water to generate heat. The system pumps water that radiators around the house have heated. There are a variety of water-based heating systems like electric boilers, gas-fired boilers, and oil-condensing boilers.

Heat Pump

Heat pumps use similar technology to air conditioning systems but in a reverse manner. The heat pump takes the cold air and then extracts the warm air and pumps it through the room or the house. The system uses normally forced air. There are two types of heat pumps: ground heat pumps and air heat pumps. The ground heat pumps take the cold air from the ground rather than the air. In terms of efficiency, heat pumps rate better than boilers and furnaces. However, it is a more expensive option as compared to others.

Space heaters

Floor furnaces, electric space heaters, and other direct heating methods are great for warming up specific areas. They are usually best suited for a single room as it is difficult for such heaters to push warm air into the next room. Space heaters use a lot of energy, which might increase the energy cost.

Fireplaces

Fireplaces indeed have their own charm. However, they are not ideal for heating up the entire house. In fact, a fireplace loses more heat than it can offer. It is not a very effective way to heat the house. You can increase its efficiency by opting for a glass door, an efficient damper, and a constant outside air source.

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