What's A Good Home Heating System?

By Author: Sebastian Guthery
Total Articles: 37
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Homes in colder regions have to be equipped with a good home heating system. A heating system is important to provide comfort to families especially during the cold winter months. However, not just any type of heating system will do for all homes. Homeowners need to assess their needs and budget in order to choose the most ideal unit for their home.

Heating requirements in the home normally eat up a huge amount of energy. In fact, it accounts for about 35 to 50 percent of the total energy bills each year in the colder parts of the United States. Choosing an energy-efficient heating system, therefore, is the best solution for this situation. In order to do this, homeowners need to know first about what a home heating system is all about.

A heating system for residential properties is made up of furnaces, also known as heat exchangers, where heat is generated. These furnaces are fueled by either oil, gas or electricity.
Heating systems come in different types - hot water, steam, forced warm air and electric. ...
... The most common feature they all share is the thermostat or the control which signals if heat is needed in a certain room and shows the current temperature of the room. This thermostat works by turning on the heat producer and then warming the transfer medium which is either air, water or steam in the furnace or boiler. After the process, heated air goes through the ducts while heated water or steam goes through pipes before proceeding to the heat distributors in the rooms.
Heating systems with fan motors take up more electricity compared to those without fans. Homeowners choosing this type of unit should select a fan motor with variable speed rather which is more electrically efficient than the standard model in order to save on electricity costs. Furnaces with just sufficient heating capacity are also ideal.
There are several types of furnaces used in home heating systems. These are the hot water boilers, steam boilers, air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps and forced air heating systems.

Boilers use hot water or steam. Boilers with built-in controls, low thermal mass, good insulation and energy efficient are the best for homes. People living in locations with very cold climate are advised to pick the so-called condensing boilers.

Another important component of a heating system is the heat pump. They can either be air source or ground source heat pumps. Although expensive to install, the ground source heat pumps are considered more efficient that the air source type as their heat comes from a natural source which is the underground soil. They are recommended for homes located in areas with both warm and cold climates.

Some of the most popular heating systems are the electric heat pump, radiant baseboard, radiant ceiling or floor heating systems and the space heaters. Heat pumps work in two ways by providing heat during cold weather and as an air conditioner when the weather is hot. Baseboard heaters may serve as the only source of heat for the entire home or source of supplemental heat in cooler rooms while the radiant systems give heat in the same fashion as the sun gives us heat without built-in fans.

For more information on home heating systems and tips on how to select the best one for your home, check out www.homeheatingsystemhelp.com.