1. Furnace
Forced air distribution systems are by far the most
common type of home
heating systems. They use a furnace with a blower fan
that delivers
heated, conditioned air to the house’s various rooms
through a network
of ducts. Because forced air systems share the same
blower and ductwork
as the air conditioner, they can also be used during the
summer months.
Fuel source: Natural gas, propane, oil or electricity
Advantage: Forced air furnaces combined cooling and
heating capabilities
in one system
Disadvantage: Gas furnaces can pose risks for fires,
explosions or
carbon monoxide poisoning
2. Boiler
Older homes and apartments may have traditional boilers
and radiator
systems. These use a central boiler that circulates steam
or water
through pipes to radiator units around the house. This is
best for
providing zoned heating and cooling, but it isn’t as
efficient for
heating more spacious areas of the house at once.
Fuel source: Natural gas, propane, fuel oil, biodiesel
blends or electricity
Advantage: Provide comfortable heat that doesn’t dry out
the air like
other heating systems
Disadvantage: Boiler systems cannot be combined with air
conditioning
for a year-round HVAC system
3. Heat Pump
Heat pumps are the newest home heating system technology.
They use a
system similar to an air conditioner by extracting heat
from the air and
delivering it to the home through an indoor air handler.
A popular heat
pump system is known as the mini-split or ductless
heating system.
This system uses a small outdoor compressor unit and
indoor air handlers
that can be placed in different rooms throughout the
house. They can be
a flexible addition since they can be switched to air
conditioning mode
during the summer months.
Fuel source: Electricity or natural gas
Advantage: No ductwork is required and wall units allow
for precise
control of each room’s temperature
Disadvantage: Not efficient in frigid climates
4. In-Floor Radiant
Radiant systems provide even heat throughout the house.
Most in-floor
radiant systems use plastic water tubing inside concrete
slab floors or
attached to the bottom of wood floors. They are very
quiet compared to
other home heating systems. There are also in-floor
radiant heating
systems that use electrical wiring to work with ceramic
or stone tile
materials.
While they are slow to heat up and adjust to temperature
changes,
in-floor radiant systems are energy efficient and provide
heated comfort
to every inch of the house.
Fuel sources: Natural gas, propane, electricity or solar
hot water systems
Advantage: Radiant systems provide steady, even and
comfortable heat
across the entire home
Disadvantage: If maintenance problems emerge, it’s
difficult to access
the hidden piping system and it might require tearing
down flooring
5. Electric Resistance
Electric resistance heating systems or electric heaters
are not used as
the primary home heating system due to the high cost of
electricity.
However, they are a good supplemental heating system for
home offices,
basements, season rooms and homes without other heating
systems.
Electric heaters are easy to install and relatively
inexpensive. They’re
usually portable, making them easy to transport from room
to room. They
also don’t have any moving parts, requiring virtually no
maintenance,
ductwork, air handlers or any other equipment.
Fuel source: Electricity
Advantage: Electric resistance systems are incredibly
versatile and can
be installed almost anywhere
Disadvantage: They use a lot of electricity and can
significantly
increase energy bills
6. Baseboard Heater
Hot water baseboard heater systems, also known as
hydronic systems, are
a modern form of radiant heat that can be highly
efficient. Using a
central boiler, these systems heat water that circulates
through a
system of water pipes to low-profile baseboard heating
units. These are
updated versions of the traditional upright radiator
system. They help
heated air rise from the baseboard unit while pushing
cold air toward
the unit for heating.
Fuel source: Natural gas, propane, fuel oil or
electricity
Advantage: Hydronic systems offer precise temperature
control mechanisms
Disadvantage: Boiler and hot water systems cannot be
combined with air
conditioning systems
7. Electric Space Heater
Also known as portable or plug-in space heaters, electric
heaters can be
affordable for homeowners who don’t live in cold weather.
These are
excellent temporary solutions that can provide targeted
and controlled
heat within minutes of being plugged into an electricity
source.
Electric space heaters are oil-filled and convert
electric current
directly into heat, similarly to how a toaster works.
Some modern
electric space heaters also have cooling fans that can be
used during
warmer days, making them an excellent choice for studio
apartments, home
offices, basements and smaller rooms.
Fuel source: Electricity
Advantage: These heater systems can offer an instant heat
source
Disadvantage: Their systems won’t heat an entire room or
house
8. Active Solar Heating
A more modern home heating system, active solar heating,
uses solar
energy to heat a fluid and transfers solar heat directly
into the
interior space or a storage system for later use. These
are usually
supplemented by radiant heating systems, boilers or heat
pumps. But
active solar heating systems can distribute the heat
using the radiant
floor, hot water baseboards or a central forced-air
system.
systems to be 100% efficient.
Fuel source: Solar energy
Advantage: A more environmentally-friendly approach to
heating a house
Disadvantage: Active solar systems still rely on
traditional heating
systems to operate
9. Hybrid Heating
Hybrid heating home systems combine the energy efficiency
of a heat pump
system with the power of a gas furnace. Most of the time,
the heat pump
operates at total capacity to heat the home. Then, during
extreme
weather conditions, the furnace will complement the
system to reach the
desired temperatures.
Because both systems complement each other, there is
significantly less
strain on each system, which means less repairs and
replacements.
Fuel source: Natural gas and electricity
Advantage: Hybrid systems offer a complete heating
solution that works
at extreme temperatures
Disadvantage: The heat pump system will require regular
maintenance and
a service check every other year
10. Gravity Air Furnace
A modern version of the traditional furnace heating
system, gravity air
furnaces distribute air through ducts. However, rather
than forcing air
through a blower, gravity air furnace systems let warm
air rise and cool
air sink. A furnace in the basement heats the air, which
rises into the
rooms through the doors, and cool air returns to the
furnace via another
system of cold-air return ducts.
Fuel source: Natural gas, propane, oil or electricity
Advantage: This system has virtually no moving parts, so
it requires
little maintenance
Disadvantage: It takes time for the temperature to adjust
because the
system operates on simple convection currents
Bottom Line
Understanding the many types of home heating systems will
allow you to
make the best decisions about how to heat your home, or
decide which
system you’d prefer when searching for a home. Knowing
which system
works best for you could help you save time and money
down the road.
Source
