Your Home Heating Options
July 18, 2023
Whether your current furnace has failed or you’re simply looking to upgrade to a more appropriate or efficient system, there are many home heating options available today. Depending upon your needs and preferences, switching to an entirely different type of heating system for your Columbus home could hold numerous advantages. Keep reading to explore your options for maintaining a warm and cozy home this winter.
Oil Furnaces
An oil furnace creates combustion using oil as a fuel source. Oil is pumped from a storage tank through a nozzle, which creates a fine mist of oil droplets that burn to create a flame. The flame transfers heat to a heat exchanger, which heats air as it is transferred over the surface of the plates. Heated air is then circulated through your home via ductwork. Oil furnaces were much more popular in the past; today, only about eight percent of American homes use oil as a heat source. However, if your home currently does not have access to natural gas, oil heating is still an efficient and viable option.
Gas Furnaces
The majority of older oil furnaces have been replaced by gas furnaces today. In these heating systems, natural gas rather than oil is used to create the flame produces heat. Natural gas burns more cleanly than oil, and the price of natural gas is expected to remain more stable-and lower-than the price of oil. If your home currently has access to a natural gas line, installing a natural gas furnace is a simple process.
Electric Furnaces
Electric furnaces, also known as air handlers, heat air using a series of electric coils. These appliances work much like your conventional hairdryer, blowing air over the heated coils to transfer heat. Although heating via electricity may cost more than oil or gas, the initial cost of an electric furnace is lower than an oil or gas furnace. You do not need to worry about potentially dangerous ruptures of oil or gas lines. Electric furnaces also require less cleaning and maintenance than other types of heating systems.
Heat Pumps
Heat pumps work much like an air conditioner in reverse, drawing heat from the ambient air or even the Earth itself to heat your home. A heat pump can provide both heating and cooling for your home, eliminating the need for separate heating and air conditioning systems. Although heat pumps tend to work best in moderate climates, they can be combined with a furnace system in areas that experience colder temperatures. Installing a geothermal heat pump in your Columbus home may qualify you for a federal tax credit to reimburse some or all of the cost of the system.
Are you ready to replace or upgrade your furnace for a comfortable home this winter in Columbus? You can explore your options for heating and cooling your home safely and efficiently by checking out our Learning Center webpage for more information. Visit our website if you’d like advice from the pros or you’re ready to schedule home HVAC maintenance, repair, or replacement.