Which Home Heater is Right for You

If you live in the northern half of the U.S., it goes without saying that home heaters are a must. With the cold days of winter upon us, it helps to know what type of home heater is right for you. Here’s a quick rundown on the various heating systems and how they can help keep you and your warm when it’s below zero outside.

Furnace

A home furnace is of course, the most common home heater around. It takes the air from inside your home and heats it up through a heat exchanger. The blower then blows out the heated air through your ductwork and into every room in the house. An air filter helps to keep out dust, mold spores and pollen. Furnaces are generally run on natural gas or electricity, although some models are still powered by heating oil, coal and even wood. The key in lowering home heating costs is to have the most energy efficient furnace you can afford.

Heat Pump

If you want to save 25% or more on home heating costs, then installing a heat pump may be just what you need. Heat pumps work by taking the heat from the outside air and disbursing it on the inside. Heat pumps are amazingly energy efficient and well worth having. If you do not have one with your furnace then I would highly recommend you getting one.

Baseboard Heater

There are many homes that get it’s heat from the use of a radiant baseboard heater, while others are using them as an additional heating source. While baseboard heaters can be somewhat pricey, they work great in a room that is tough to put in any kind of ductwork system.

Ceiling Or Floor Heaters

These types of home heaters are not as common, but can work quite well. A ceiling or floor heater doesn’t use a blower or ductwork, but rather, heats the inside of a room like the sun would. A hydronic heater would be a good example of radiant floor heating.

Outdoor Patio Heaters

These types of heaters are ideal for using outside your home on a patio or porch area. The patio heater warms up the air around you, allowing you to enjoy some time outside in the sun regardless of what the outside temperature is.

Hopefully you now have a better understanding of the various heating sources that are available. You can easily find out more information on the sources that interest you by going online and doing a more detailed search.