The Four Main Types Of Central Heaters

Central heating systems provide your home with heat and warmth during the summer months. There are four main types of central heaters, each of which operates in a different way to provide the same function. Therefore, each type of central heating system has a set of benefits that is unique, and understanding the differences between the four types of central heaters allows you to choose the model that best fits your needs.

Boilers

Boilers work to heat your home by heating up water and using the steam to transport heat throughout your home through baseboard heaters or radiators. Boilers can be powered by a wide variety of fuels, such as solar panels, wood burning stoves, natural gas, propane, or electricity. Boilers tend to be fairly inexpensive to operate in the long run and take up much less space than other types of central heating systems. However, it should be noted that boilers also can be difficult and expensive to install and might not be the right fit for homeowners operating under a tight budget.

Furnaces

Furnaces use some sort of fuel, such as propane, natural gas, or electricity, in order to heat up air and pump it through your home's ductwork. Propane and natural gas provide heat even in blackout conditions and are more efficient at producing heat, while electric furnaces are cheaper and environmentally responsible and do not have the danger of exploding as natural gas or propane powered furnaces do.

Geothermal Heating

Geothermal central heating units are not very common but are extremely efficient at producing heat or cooling down your home, working as both air conditioners and heaters. They take the natural temperature of the earth below your home and use it to heat the air in your home. However, geothermal heating units are extremely expensive to install and may require excavation and significant remodeling before they can even be put into place.

Heat Pumps

Heat pumps work to either cool or warm your house and operate best in areas that do not suffer from extreme heat or cold. Heat pumps have an indoor and an outdoor unit. They work by pumping in outside air and then heating or cooling it depending on the season--pumping out cold air in the winter and warm air in the summer. Heat pumps are fairly inexpensive when compared to other types of central heating units and do not require fuel to operate. They are also usually ductless and can be easily and quickly installed.

For more information, contact a business such as Wightman Mechanical.

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