Options for Heating and Air Conditioning Systems

Maintaining the environment of your home is important. You want to keep your family comfortable and your home protected through necessary heating and air conditioning services. When your home is warm in the winter and cool in the summer, everyone can be happy and healthy. With proper maintenance, your system can provide effective, efficient service but, eventually, every system requires replacement.

If you are looking into a new system for your home, you should consider your options in heating and air systems. You may be comfortable with what you have had in the past but there are so many different types of systems, you may find something out there that does a better job at maintaining the environment of your home.

The most common system for both heating and air services is the forced air system. These are also known as central air systems or HVAC systems. Ductwork delivers either hot or cold air to different rooms in your home. The registers can either be installed through floorboards, walls, or overhead for large loft spaces. Air is heated or cooled with electric power, natural gas, or oil.

This system also includes ventilation. The V in HVAC stands for ventilation, the service that also maintains air quality in the home. For an upgrade to your current forced air system, you could consider getting a system installed with a humidifier or filtration system. Having these greatly increases the comfort level of your home and your health, too. If you don't currently have a central system, installation of one could be extensive, so weigh your options along with your budget to see if this is a good investment for your home.

Radiant systems circulate heat under floorboards or through radiators to provide direct transfer heat. This is a great system for homes that have particularly cold winters, allowing you a more efficient way of heating your home. You can also use a greater variety of fuel sources. In addition to electric, oil, or natural gas energy, you can also use wood burning furnaces and stoves. This system, however, does not come with air conditioning. In order to have both heating and air conditioning, you may need to look into window units or other type of air conditioning systems to partner with your radiant heat system.

When going to replace your home's system, you can also look into conversions or energy efficient models. Conversions are great for homes that are currently running on a very expensive energy source, such as oil. Filing the oil tank to heat your home all winter can be incredibly expensive. By converting to natural gas or electric, you can save hundreds of dollars yearly. Whether you have a heating system or a heating and air system, replacing it with an energy efficient model can accomplish the same amount of savings. There are also possible tax credits you can redeem for installing a more efficient system.