What Are the Best Ways to Heat My Home?

Finding comfort during the chilly winter months, especially in the cold winter season of New York, can be hard without dependable heating. Choosing what option is right for your home can also be difficult, as there are several different options these days and every different heating method comes with its own list of pros and cons.

A heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) contractor will be able to help you walk through what the best choice for you is. It is still smart to walk into that conversation with some background knowledge.

The Best Heaters in the Business

There is such a wide variety of heating options available these days, and each one has its own benefits. This means that thankfully your choice is not between right or wrong so much as you simply need to identify which option is the best one for you.

Some of the different modern heating options include:

• Traditional Furnace – One of the most popular heating systems is the classic furnace. By heating metal with natural gas, electricity, propane, or oil, air is forced through the furnace to heat the home. A fan then blows the heated air through ducts and vents throughout the house as the warm temperatures spread through the air around it. Additionally:
  • Furnaces tend to require less maintenance than other types of heating.
  • The ductwork system can be shared with your air conditioning, saving space.
  • Furnaces are a low-cost option due to affordable fuel costs and modern energy conservation methods.
• Boiler or Radiator – Radiant or hydronic heating methods are what make boilers, radiators, and baseboard heaters work. Organic gas, propane, fuel oil, or electric power are used to heat up stove water. The radiators and baseboards throughout the house then receive heated water through a network of carefully laid piping. Some of the other benefits of a boiler include:
  • Boilers and radiators give homeowners better control over the heating of their homes than other options
  • There is no filter system, which removes much of the maintenance required.
  • The heat will be distributed evenly throughout the home with a radiator system.
• Solar-Powered Heating – Renewable energy is used in active solar heating. By heating up a liquid or air, this energy can be moved through the inside of the house or stored for later use. If power is an issue, a backup home heating system can also be installed to support solar energy when it is insufficient to heat the entire house. Solar can be a great choice for your property for many reasons, such as:
  • Solar energy is famously environmentally friendly.Over time you will save money on utility bills.
  • A home with any solar power infrastructure will see an increase in its property value.

Most heating systems can last a property roughly 25 years, so it is an investment worth considering before making a choice. To determine which heating method best fits your needs and is most compatible with your home, it is important to consider what each different system brings to the table, and which one is the right fit for you. For more details on each different heating method, you will want to consider speaking with an HVAC contractor about your options.