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Choosing the Best Heating System

Posted On: January 30, 2017

Whether you’re considering a system for an existing home or you’re building a new home, how you heat it is a big question. We wanted to lay out the options for you.

Energy Source

The variety here is large and there are benefits and drawbacks to each. Still, your first choice is to decide between natural gas, electricity, heating oil or something else.

Natural gas has the advantage of having fewer impurities and less pollution when burned. Electricity is a source considered among the more expensive options because only 30 percent of the material used to generate it are actually converted into usable energy. Heating oil is seen as a safer alternative, given the high temperature required for it to burn. Systems with this fuel can also heat abundant water for your home, which is an added benefit to consider.

Selecting a System

Gas furnaces can fit a wide range of budgets and are fairly common. This forced air system uses ductwork to heat your home. There are several varieties and each one is designed to work as efficiently as possible. It only works when the temperature drops below a certain point, forcing air past a gas flame used for heating. Once the temperature rises to a certain level, the system disengages until needed again.

Heat pumps can work as both heater and air conditioner. When used for heating, it draws heat from outside air or from the ground and pumps that into your home. When the weather gets warmer, the process is reversed and the heat inside your home is extracted outside. Many heat pumps use air, but some will use geothermal energy. It’s considered a clean and sustainable energy source and many are drawn to it for that reason.

There are also hybrid systems that match up the benefits of gas furnaces with those of heat pumps. They react to changing temperatures and automatically adjust to the most efficient method of heating. This replaces the standard combination of a furnace and air conditioner and costs less to operate than this conventional method of home comfort.

Boilers provide for both heating and hot water in your home, by using boiling water as a heat source. They deliver heat by using radiators and baseboard heaters to warm up individual spaces.

So How Do You Choose the Right System?

Your choice will depend on your home and what delivery methods are already in place. You also need to think about what you’re most comfortable with in both maintenance and efficiency. To answer those questions, get in touch with Genz-Ryan. We’d be happy to work with you to create the ideal system for you that matches your budget and heating needs.

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