What kind of heating systems should you consider for your home?

Forced Air. Most homes in the USA are heated using forced air. Air is heated by a heat pump or furnace, and distributed (forced) throughout the dwelling through a system of ducts. Forced-air systems can help you maintain good air quality through filters installed in the system to remove dust and allergens. You can also add a humidifier to a forced-air system.

Typically, there are two ways to drive a forced-air system: a furnace or a heat pump. A furnace can use natural gas or liquid propane or fuel (oil) to heat air in a dwelling. You can certainly use electricity as a backup if you have a standard heat pump (although electric heating is expensive). natural gas and liquid propane are cleaner and require significantly less maintenance than oil.

Cost-wise, while some consider natural gas pricing to be more stable than oil prices, a lot depends on where you live as well. Check the pricing with your local providers for a realistic assessment of long-term energy costs. Note, however, that furnaces do require regular maintenance to be at their most efficient. And remember that typically, a more efficient system costs more to buy and install, but over the long-run, produce lower energy bills.

An alternative to using heat pumps are great for their dual-purpose - they can create both heat and coolness through their temperature adjustment and the same duct-work is used for both cooling and heating. Heat pumps are typically also more efficient as they use minimal electricity to do the job. You also don’t have to risk a gas leak or running out of oil, as explained above. I myself use a heat pump system for my own home.

Radiant. Unlike forced-air systems, radiant heat systems don’t create heat at one location and then distribute it. Radiant heating systems can heat floors with plastic pipes located under the floor with heated water running through the pipes. Radiant floor heating can also be installed in a special sub-floor (e.g. Warmboard or Quiktrak) and have hardwood or engineered wood flooring installed on top.

Radiant floor heating is popular in many modern homes. Hot water heats pipes inside a tile or concrete floor, and the heat radiates upwards through the floor into the environment. What heats the water is a central boiler that runs on natural gas, liquid propane or electricity. Radiant heat is comfortable (it does not dry out the indoor atmosphere), even and generally energy-efficient with modern boilers. You should note, however, that installing such a system throughout a home can be expensive. Planning is also important to easy ensure for long-term maintenance.