5 Best Home Heating Systems: Choosing the Right System for Your Home

Feb 6, 2019Blog, Heating

Are you worried that you might need to replace your home heating system?

Finding a good replacement for your heating systems that will fit your budget is time-consuming, which can be a problem when you need it immediately. There is a lot to choose from and there are a lot of factors to look at before your purchase.

Heating expenses can easily increase as winter season starts especially when you are using your heating systems all day and all night. No matter what your purpose is, finding the best heating system is extremely important.

These will not only help lower your bills but it can also provide high efficiency and a comfortable environment in your home.

Here are some of the best heating systems for house:

 

Furnaces

A furnace works by heating the air and using a blower motor and air ducts to distribute warm air around a building. It is typically referred to as a “forced-air” heating system as it can be powered by the use of natural gas, propane, heating oil, or electricity.

This type of heating system is inexpensive and it is also the most common heating system for your home. Its efficiency is about 59-98.50% depending on the system’s age.

The life expectancy of furnaces is about 15-30 years. One of the more common disadvantages of having a furnace is that the blower fan can be very loud, and will kick on very late at night in order to keep your house warm through the night.

There are a lot of brands to choose from when getting a new furnace. Price ranges differ depending on what type of furnace works for your house. Ventwerx installs only the highest quality furnaces in our customer’s homes.

The three common types of furnaces are gas, oil, and electric furnaces.

  • Gas Furnaces use natural gas that is supplied through the gas lines  installed in your home. This costs less than a heat pump to run but its heating efficiency is much lower.

The average cost of gas furnaces ranges from $650-$1,410. The estimated installation cost ranges from $1,820-$3,990 total.

You may also convert your gas furnaces to propane for a minimum fee. This may include a few furnace parts which are gas valves, burners, and jets depending on your furnace.

The average cost of replacing these will range from $25-$100.

  • Oil furnaces burn fuel to produce heat which is supplied by a tank in your home. This is commonly used in the parts of the country where oil is highly available.

The average cost of oil furnaces ranges from $1,360-$2,300. The estimated installation cost ranges from $4,640-$6,872.

  • Electric furnaces use electricity to power heating coils that provide heat to warm your home. This can operate with high efficiency but it will generally cost more.

The average cost of electric furnaces ranges from $395-1,165. The estimated installation cost ranges from $1,657-$2,457.

 

So, before you shop for a new furnace, you might consider consulting a licensed HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) professional to know what type of furnace is best for your home. For Furnace installation San Jose, you may call Ventwerx HVAC at (408) 422-2987 for a free estimate.

 

Boilers

A boiler works by heating water to provide a hot or steam water which is distributed through a series of pipes and radiators inside your home. It can be powered by natural gas, propane, heating oil, biodiesel blends, and electricity.

Boilers are typically more expensive than furnaces because they are more complex to install. Their efficiency is about 50-90% depending on the system’s age.

The life expectancy of Boilers is about 15-30 years. The average costs of boilers are from $3,411 and $7,652 depending on the type and size of the boilers you choose.

They are expensive to install and require a minimum temperature to prevent the pipes from freezing.

Boilers are generally more energy efficient because they use less fuel to heat your home. It’s also easier to practice zone heating with this system.

Heat Pumps

A heat pump is a device that transfers heat energy into the warm air that surrounds the house. It absorbs heat from outside sources like air, ground, or a body of water and then uses a heat exchanger to transfer the heat inside.

It can be powered by electricity and geothermal energy. Its efficiency is about 6.8-10 HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor).

The higher HSPF your heat pump has, the more energy efficient it is. The life expectancy of Boilers is about 15 years.

The minimum costs of heat pumps range from $700-$2,000. The average costs range from $4,594-$5,674.

It can get as high as $10,000 depending on the type and brand of heat pumps you will purchase in the market.

Active Solar Heating

Solar Heating is powered by having solar energy which naturally comes from the Sun. It uses mechanical or electric equipment to produce or convert solar energy into heat and electrical power and then is directly stored to a system for later use.

The life expectancy of active solar heaters is about  20+ years. The costs for these systems range from $3,000 to $10,000 as it needs a secondary heating source.

Although solar heating can be costly, it can significantly reduce your fuel bills and can also reduce the amount of air pollution and greenhouse gases resulting from the use of fuels for heating electricity.

 

Electric Heating

Electric heating is the process of converting electricity into heat. An electric heater is a device that is used for this type of system and can be powered by using electricity only.

Its efficiency is about 95-100%. The life expectancy of electric heaters is about 20+ years.

An electric heater can be inexpensive to purchase and has high efficiency but it can be expensive to operate. (Click here to calculate your electricity when using electric heaters.)

 

Although there are more types of heating systems, these are just the top 5 heating systems that are generally used. It’s up to you to find the best heating system and best price range that fits your budget to warm your surroundings at home.

 

If you want to consult our licensed HVAC experts for the best home heating systems, contact Ventwerx HVAC now!