Home heating refers to the set of systems that are designed to keep your house at a comfortable temperature throughout the winter. It can come in several different types, including radiant and the traditional forced air style. The one thing that both heaters will have in common is the thermostat; it is the thermostat that is going to control when and for how long each of these heaters turns on. Here are some of the options you have for your home and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Source: FlickrYou should be aware of the fact that a forced air system is not going to be your most energy efficient heating option, mostly because the forced air system is going to be blowing hot air into every room of your house, even if no one is actually present in that room.
The first option is the one that most houses and apartment complexes utilize, the forced air system. The forced air system works by having the furnace turn on and draw in the cold air, warm it up, and then blow it through all of the ducts in the house and out the vents by using a system of fans. The forced air system has a few key advantages over the radiant option. A forced air system will warm your house at a much faster rate than a radiant system. You will feel the effects of a forced air system almost immediately. This is because the air coming out of your vents is already hot. There is no need to wait for it to get there.
However, you should be aware of the fact that a forced air system is not going to be your most energy-efficient option, mostly because the forced air system is going to be blowing hot air into every room of your house, even if no one is actually present in that room. This means that the heater is using more energy and costing you more money than is strictly necessary. Another advantage that a forced air system has over the radiant heating system is that a forced air system is substantially cheaper to purchase and install than a radiant system.
The second option is the radiant setup. A radiant heating system does not use any of the traditional support systems that a forced air heater does, it is not connected to a series of ducts, nor does it have fans or need vents to work. A radiant system involves placing panels or pipes beneath the floor and within the walls of the entire building.
Once the thermostat tells the system to turn on it will begin warming up the floors and walls of the house, which in turn will warm the air around them, and it will continue to radiate out like that until it fills the whole house and gets the temperature to the desired level.
Despite being more expensive than a forced air system, there are a few advantages to selecting this. The first advantage is that a radiant heating system tends to be more energy-efficient, so it can save you money on your utility bills in the long run. Also, it is really easy to set up in such a way that your house is split into zones, which means that you do not have to worry about wasting money and energy warming up sections the house that no one is using.
You can specify a particular area of the house to warm during different periods of the day. However, one downside that should be considered is that it will take it a bit longer to warm up your rooms due to the fact that the pipes and panels have to warm up first, then the walls, and then the air.