There
are different types of central home heating systems: forced warm air heating
and hydronic heating, which uses steam or hot water. Whether you are
considering the installation of a complete new system or are just replacing a
component of your present system, it is a good idea to become familiar with each
system and the different types of fuel available.
 To provide the most comfort and value, a
furnace must be sized properly for the house in which it is to be installed. An
oversized unit will cycle frequently, causing great variations in room
temperature. An undersized unit may not provide sufficient heat to make your
home comfortable.
• FORCED WARM AIR HEAT:. Forced air
ducted heat uses a blower in conjunction with a ductwork system to circulate
warm air throughout the home. A blower pushes heated air through the ductwork
into the various rooms through registers or diffusers. As the air cools off it
drops and moves to the return air grilles and is pulled back to the blower by
way of the return air ductwork. The furnace then heats the air and the cycle is
repeated.
• HYDRONIC HEAT (Hot water or steam): In
a hydronic system, a boiler heats water (to steam in a steam system), and the
hot water circulates throughout the home through pipes. The boiler supplies hot
water (or steam) to radiators located throughout the home. A separate pipe
returns the cooled water back to the boiler. Usually a circulating pump is used
to push the water throughout the piping system.
There are three types of radiators available
for hydronic heat systems:
• The vertical tube, cast iron type, is
typically installed standing on the floor.
• Baseboard radiators can be cast iron
or copper tube; the latter having thin metal "fins." They are typically located
at floor level against the outside wall.
• Convector radiators also have finned
tubing enclosed in a rectangular box, usually metal. Air circulates up through
the floor level through the tubing and then flows out the top into the room.
Some convector systems use a fan to force the heat out of the convector.
• Furnaces and boilers are available in
gas, oil and electric. Generally, air conditioning systems (a/c) used with the
furnace are electric, although, in some areas, gas a/c units are available.
Package units in various combinations (gas heat/electric cool; electric
heat/electric cool; gas heat/gas cool) are available but are used more typically
for commercial applications.
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