Factors to Consider When Selecting a Home Heating System in Delaware County, Ohio

Heating systems in homes have a significant impact on energy and electric costs. This is especially true if a home has an older system that is at least twenty years old. The home requires more energy to keep an older system running. It is important for a homeowner to consider factors for a more cost-effective heating system for comfort and energy prices. This is important when considering a replacement system or when looking at new homes.

Energy Source

There are many types of energy sources in heating systems. The most common type across the country is natural gas. Other types of gas heating include propane and LP gas. Electric heat pumps are another type of energy source in heating systems, as well as rarely, fuel oil heating systems.

It is important to consider the energy sources available at a home’s location. A heating system expert or contractor can help a homeowner to determine availability as well as energy cost of each heating system. Utility service companies may also be able to provide valuable insight.

Distribution Systems

Most heating systems in home use either forced air or hot water for distribution. Forced air is the more popular of the two in the United States. This type uses air ducts and registers. Hot water systems utilize water boilers or hot water heaters. Often, radiators are seen in homes with hot water systems.

Forced air systems allow for central air conditioning, ventilation and filtering of the air. The air may feel cooler coming out of the ducts, however. There may be bursts of hot air making for unstable room temperatures. Dust and odors may also be circulated with a lot of noise from the system. It is important to ensure that the ducts are properly sealed to prevent leaking which may cause additional energy costs.

Hot water systems allow for more stable air temperatures in a home. Installing a hot water system is very expensive, however. There is also no central air conditioning, air filtering, or ventilation with a hot water system. It is important for a homeowner to always consider the distribution system that is already in the home, however, to avoid high installation costs and to determine whether central air conditioning is important.

Efficiency

Efficiency is one of the most important factors to consider. The higher the efficiency of a system, the lower the energy costs and vice versa. Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency and Heating Season Performance Factor are both accurate representations of efficiency for a homeowner’s heating system.

System Types

A furnace has a seventy-eight to ninety-six percent AFUE efficiency rating. They do use significant electricity, however, to operate. Furnaces with multi-speed or variable speed motors are much more efficient than single-speed motors.

A boiler built after 1980 must have an efficiency of at least eighty percent with the AFUE. Older boilers have efficiencies of fifty-five to sixty-five percent. It is important that a boiler has efficient controls, low electricity needs and indirect water heating.

Heat pumps have a minimum HSPF requirement of 7.6 but some models have a rating of 9 or higher. The higher the HSPF rating, the more efficient the heat pump is and the lower the energy costs will be. Geothermal heat pumps are the most efficient with an HSPF of 10, but they are more expensive to install. There is a new ductless heat pump that is efficient and does not have the high costs of installing ducts.

System Sizing

Larger systems are not always required and are often more costly when regarding energy costs. A larger system will never reach peak operating efficiency. Any contractor should perform a heating load calculation that will assist the homeowner in seeing the heat load required, helping him or her to estimate energy costs.

Overall Cost

It is important for a homeowner to not only consider the costs of installing the system. It is important to consider long term costs of running the system as well. An Energy Guide label will assist a homeowner in estimating a heating system’s efficiency and the local utility service provider can assist as well. Contractors can assist in providing maintenance and installation costs.

Wise Heating and Cooling has decades of experience with all types of heating systems for your home. We invite you to contact us today so we may help you find the most efficient heating system for your home.