Your charming fireplace creates holiday ambience, but it can also make your heating system work less efficiently. Convection currents created by your carefully tended fire can actually pull room air up your chimney and out of your home.
Furnaces are among the most commonly used residential heating systems in America. Running most often on gas, but sometimes on oil, propane, or electricity, furnaces deliver their heat through a duct system that runs throughout a house.
Active solar heating systems store the sun's heat in a solar collector and use that heat to warm the air, which is then distributed throughout your home through the use of ducts.
If your furnace frequently cycles on and off, it may be time for a replacement. Older furnaces can’t heat the air as efficiently as newer ones.
You should have your HVAC system inspected and maintained twice a year for optimal performance. This helps prevent costly breakdowns when the weather is at its worst.
Older furnaces were pretty much either "On" or "Off," but not modern furnaces. Modern furnaces can have variable modes that can adapt to the temperature difference, and make a big difference in how much it costs to heat your home.
Did you know that how your furnace sounds while it’s operating indicates that it might be in need of repair? Noises that indicate a potential problem include a low-pitched humming, high-pitched squealing, and loud banging.
Can you guess how many water heaters are purchased each year? In the United States, 8.2 - 9.8 million hot waters are bought each year. The most popular type is the tank water heater.
Just like with most systems in your home, proper care and maintenance of your heating system equipment in your home can keep it running more efficiently for years to come.
Here's a quick quiz question for you: What does BTU mean? You've probably heard the acronym BTU associated with home heating. It stands for British thermal unit, a baseline measurement of heat energy. A BTU is equal to the energy necessary to heat a pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.
Heating systems for buildings can be boiler systems that send hot water through pipes in the building, steam heating boilers that send steam heat through the system, furnaces that heat air and force it through ducts, or hybrid systems that combine elements of both hot air and hot water systems.
Did you know that a study by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) showed that geothermal systems have the lowest life-cycle cost of all heating and cooling systems currently on the market? This is definitely an option worth researching if you are thinking of replacing your heating system.
It’s important to remember that service on your heating system equipment doesn’t have to be beyond your family’s budget. While a full system install can get pricey, you’ll be surprised by how much better your system will run after relatively inexpensive repairs.
Do you know that the very first "hot water heater" was made by a man in England in 1868. He heated cold water by flowing it through pipes that were exposed to a burner of hot gas.
The "ondol" is a Korean system of underfloor heating that dates back approximately 3,000 years. Basically, a firebox or stove is used to generate wood smoke, which heats the underside of a thick masonry floor.
Looking to improve the energy efficiency of your home? You'll want to make sure you have good insulation, attic ventilation, weather-stripping/caulking, and a good thermostat. Once you have all that, an energy-efficient furnace will help keep your costs down.
According to the United States Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, geothermal systems are the most environmentally friendly way to heat your home. They do not rely on burning fossil fuel to function, and only use a modest amount of electricity.
Electric space heaters are a common addition to homes that do not have central air. If you do have this type of heater, be sure to keep it away from flammable items, and allow plenty of clearance around the appliance.
For most this country's history, people stayed warm with fireplaces, wood stoves, or space heaters, but that changed in the mid-1900s. In fact, since after World War II, the majority of homes have been built with central heating units.
Loud noises, rust, uneven temperatures and higher energy bills are all signs it’s time to inspect your furnace and HVAC system for signs of aging.
Did you know that high-efficiency condensing furnaces (90% AFUE and above) are a bit more complex than conventional units? This is due to the heat exchanger technology used and the method used to exhaust the combustion gases.
Tankless water heaters use less energy than tank storage water heaters, and they deliver a constant supply of hot water. Storage water heaters have a lower purchase price but last a few years less.
Radiant heating is an increasingly popular heating system that involves the use of cables or heated water in pipes, which are run under a non-carpeted floor, within walls, and even under the driveway.
A furnace transfers the heat to the air through tubes and fins that have a large surface area to maximize the heat transfer. Before they install the furnace, heating experts will make sure the fins and tubes are free of visible problems or disconnections that could cause issues.
