Heating Types for Residential Homes

Small Town America

Homeowners in Virginia have multiple options when it comes to heating. The trick is in figuring out which type of heating will work best in your home, for your family’s particular situation. Budget, efficiency, ease of use and maintenance are all issues to consider when preparing to put in a new heating system.

Remember that you don’t have to figure it out all on your own. You can consult with a heating, ventilation and air conditioning professional to help you determine the best approach in terms of equipment and pricing.

Fireplace

Who doesn’t love curling up by a nice roaring fireplace in the dead of winter? A fireplace provides much more than a change in ambiance in your home. It is a significant way to keep warm. You can burn wood in the traditional manner or get an artificial, gas-powered fireplace.

A fireplace will not be able to keep your entire home warm, but it’s a nice way to stay cozy in the living room or bedroom. You will probably still want a furnace, heat pump, boiler or portable heater to keep everyone comfortable.

Furnace

A traditional furnace, whether gas or electric, is designed to quickly deliver heat in a steady, reliable way. Furnaces are relatively inexpensive and don’t take much effort to maintain. They are the heating method of choice for many Northern Virginia families and you would be in good company to install one at your home.

Heat Pump

A heat pump is an advanced piece of technology that moves warmth from the outside into your home during the winter, and in the summer, the process is reversed, sending excess heat outside.

Heat pumps are energy efficient. Typically, you will have a forced air system to deliver the heat to each room during the winter from the heat pump.

Boiler

While you don’t see as many people using boilers now as they did in the past, they are still a viable way to heat your home.

As the boiler heats the water, it is distributed through your home via radiators to heat up rooms. The cold water that is left after the heat is radiated returns to the boiler to be heated up again.

Space Heaters

If you have a limited budget and just need some quick supplemental heating in a specific area in your home, a space heater can fill the bill. For example, you have someone coming to stay with you and the guest bedroom never seems to get as warm as the rest of the house.

Of course, if this is happening in your home, you should check that the vent to that room is open and free of obstructions. When one room is not getting enough warmth or doesn’t get cool when you run the A.C., it‚’s time to call in professionals to thoroughly inspect the system.

Portable space heaters that are powered by gas do require venting to make sure your family is absolutely safe and that you always have an adequate supply of fresh air.

Electric space heaters portable and are relatively inexpensive, but they do cost a lot to operate and you may see a significant spike in your utility bill.

However, when money is tight or you just need a temporary solution, space heaters can make a real difference in comfort.

Radiant Floor Heating

You may have experienced the luxury of radiant floor heating while visiting someone who is convalescing in a hospital. This method of heating is quite involved in terms of installation but the heat it provides is quite efficient. You’ll need to consult with HVAC specialists as well as your designer for assistance on setting up this type of heating.

Keeping your family safe and warm during the winter is of the utmost importance to the team at AirPlus. Our technicians follow industry best practices and are familiar with the latest in HVAC technology so we can better serve our customers in the greater Northern Virginia region and beyond. As you do your research to determine which method of heating will work best for your home in terms of comfort, reliability and budget, our team is standing by to assist you. For more information on different types of heating systems or to set up an appointment for a heating system installation, please contact the pros at AirPlus today.

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