If your home needs a new heating system. now is the ideal time to discuss your installation options. Winter is not yet here, and while temperatures are falling steadily, you still have a few weeks to plan for the replacement and get your new heating system ready to go by the time the weather really takes a turn. Most homes in the area rely on either forced-air furnaces or traditional boilers to keep warm in the winter.
Both models are inexpensive and reliable, and if they have worked well for your home, there’s no reason to change. But they’re not the only types of heating system out there, and if your home struggles with a forced-air furnace or boiler, you might consider one of the following alternative types of heater to install instead.
Ductless Mini Split Systems
Traditional furnaces generate heated air in one central location, then blow it through the ducts with a fan. That can cause problems with uneven temperatures, drafts, cold spots and even homes that simply can’t support centralized heating because they can’t support the require ducts.
Ductless systems make an ideal solution to the problem. Instead of one single unit, they involve multiple units, each charged with heating a single room or section of the home. In most cases, you can operate them all from a centralized location, though you can set different temperatures in different rooms if you like. Not only does this eliminate squabbling over the thermostat, but by lowering the heat in rooms that aren’t occupied, you can save a great deal on both monthly heating costs and overall wear and tear on individual components.
Radiant Heating Systems
Radiant heating systems convey warmth through the floor directly into the feet (and furnishings) of those in the room. Heated coils or tubes are installed beneath the floorboards, allowing warmth to slowly “radiate” into the room. Radiant heating systems cost more to install, but they are remarkably effective at doing their jobs — saving you money on monthly costs — and they rarely suffer breakdowns since they have fewer moving parts than other types of heating systems. Best of all, they do their jobs without having to blow air around: saving your home from the effects of things like drafts.
Heat Pumps
Heat pumps operate according to the same principles are centralized air conditioners — circulating refrigerant that releases heated air outside and cools air within the system to circulated through the home — but they add a twist. That cycle can be reversed, allowing you to release heated air inside and cool air outside. That can save money on your heating bills while combining heating and air conditioning into a single package. Heat pumps sometimes struggle on particularly cold days, which is why they often come paired with a much smaller second heater. Such set-ups are called dual systems, and provided more comprehensive heating while still allowing the savings that heat pumps provide.
For installation and servicing of all manner of heating systems in Fort Wayne, IN, call on the pros at Collier’s Comfort today!