Find Out Which Of These 3 Types Of Heating Is Best For You

1 June 2015 by Derrick Gordon

There are several types of appliances and systems that can be used for your residential heating. Like many other parts of your house, the type of heating you decide to implement in your home will depend on the size of your home, the surrounding climate, how many people are in your home, how often people are home and, most importantly, your budget.

One of these three following heating types may be ideal for your home and your circumstances:

Pellet Stove

A pellet stove is an evolved form of a wood stove. Wood stoves serve two purposes; heating the home, and serving as a usable stove for cooking. The great thing about having a wood stove is enjoying the sensation and smell of natural wood fire without it being confined to an alcove in a wall, as a fireplace is.

The only problem with a wood stove is that burning all that wood leaves a great deal of ash for you to clean up. A pellet stove, as opposed to a wood stove, burns much cleaner, requiring much less clean up.

The advantages of a pellet stove include a low installation cost, low maintenance cost and the sensations particular to a natural wood-burning fire. The only disadvantage of a pellet stove is that the heating area is confined to only a few square-feet surrounding the stove. The pellet stove is an effective, low-cost option for residential heating, but is limited to only a very small area.

Forced-Air Heating

This type of heating is the one you will find throughout most free-standing homes in North America. Using propane or other forms of natural gas, forced-air systems are known for being a practical solution for whole-home heating needs.

The forced-air system's ability to heat the whole home and its ability to work in almost any climate are among its advantages. However, your heater will need annual inspections and occasional maintenance in order to work properly.

Heat Pump

This type of heating is handled by an air conditioning unit run in reverse. Normally, the air conditioning unit displaces hot air outside as it cools the air inside. By reversing the process, your AC unit can heat your home in the winter, which means you won't need any additional appliances to take care of your heating.

The one disadvantage to the heat pump, though, is that it doesn't work all that well in areas with extremely cold winters, as the lines for the unit would freeze up before they got to work. This type of heating is best for those located in moderately cool environments that don't see extremely harsh winters.

Each of the heating types described here can be ideal for your living situation, but only if you make use of the system as directed. Always read owner's manuals thoroughly so that you understand what is required of you for the system to function properly. You will also want to have your system regularly inspected by a licensed HVAC contractor so that you get the most out of your heating.

To learn more, contact a company like Wightman Mechanical with any questions you have.

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