Home Heating Basics

In general there are two common ways to heat your home using forced air from a centralized location:One method is a gas furnace.
The second method is a heat pump.A forced-air furnace is one that provides the heating in your house by blowing the air through the duct system. A furnace can be gas fired, electric fired or any other heat generating source.Heat Pumps are another common way to heat your home. A heat pump is basically an air conditioner that works in reverse, which means instead of blowing cold air inside and warm air outside, it blows cold air outside and warm air inside.

Which Heating System is Right for Your Home?

You now know the two most common ways to add centralized heat to your home, but which one is right for your home? The answer may depend upon where you live.
Although both heating systems can be used across the country, those in colder climates may want to consider a furnace or a geothermal heat pump. Both work well in sub-freezing temperatures because they draw heat from the relatively constant temperatures in the ground. Geothermal heat pumps are especially recommended for severe cold climates.A heating system is among the largest home energy
users. Furnaces and boilers are also a substantial
investment, costing thousands of dollars and
lasting 17 to 20 years. Therefore, it’s important to
choose a heating system that offers comfort,
reliability, and low operating and maintenance costs.