The right heating system can turn a sudden cold front into a cozy, enjoyable evening indoors, and there’s an ideal setup for every household. With our detailed heating system overview, you can make an informed choice based on efficiency, cost-effectiveness, climate, convenience and overall enjoyment.
People use various methods to warm their homes, from wood-burning stoves to active solar panels. However, many of these only supplement the main central heating system. There are four primary central heating systems in the United States.
Furnaces are forced-air heating systems. That means they push heated air through ductwork using a blower fan.
Inside a furnace, fuel burns in a combustion chamber, generating thermal energy. A heat exchanger transfers this heat to the air, which is forced through vents to warm your home. Meanwhile, return-air ducts draw cooler air back to the furnace for reheating, creating a continuous cycle. An exhaust vent channels waste gases outside.
A key advantage of furnaces is their relatively cost-effective initial investment. They can also filter and humidify air with the right attachments. Furnaces can be louder than boilers or radiant systems, and their uneven air distribution can lead to hot and cold spots. To maintain ideal air quality and efficiency, schedule monthly filter changes and annual inspections by a qualified technician.
Boilers are hydronic heating systems, meaning they burn fuel in a combustion chamber to heat water or steam instead of air. This heated water or steam circulates through your home via metal or polymer pipes. These pipes lead to radiators, baseboard heaters or even coils under your floors to radiate warmth.
Boilers often require a higher initial investment than furnaces, demand more maintenance, and don’t humidify or filter the air. However, they do provide consistent heating and operate relatively quietly.
Instead of generating heat by burning fuel, heat pumps transfer heat from outdoors and release it inside your home. A specialized heat-transfer fluid circulates through the system, absorbing and releasing heat as it changes state. In cooling mode, the process reverses, extracting heat from inside your home and releasing it outside. Heat pumps are gaining popularity in moderate climates like Florida because they’re so versatile.
Electric heating systems generate heat by passing electricity through resistance coils, similar to how a toaster works. This heat then warms the surrounding air. Examples include electric space heaters, fireplaces, and radiant floors and panels. Electric heating is simple to install and control, and it’s quick to warm a space. Although it’s generally the least energy-efficient option and it can cost more, it’s useful for supplemental or localized heating.
Furnaces generally use fuel for combustion, although newer designs also offer electric resistance options.
Natural gas furnaces burn methane to generate heat. They’re a common choice in areas with access to gas lines, like the Midwest, where 70% of households use this fuel source for heating their homes. These furnaces are known for their reliability and often have lower fuel costs than their oil or propane counterparts. However, they need regular professional maintenance to avoid gas leaks.
Propane furnaces burn propane gas from portable refillable tanks of various sizes to suit your property size and heating needs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, this fuel option is typically more expensive than natural gas. You can own the propane tank yourself or lease it from the propane supplier, who then takes responsibility for maintenance and repairs.
Oil furnaces burn heating oil or an oil-biodiesel hybrid to produce thermal energy. They’re popular in areas like the Northeast, where natural gas is scarce.
These furnaces are known for their high heating capacity, making them one of the best heating systems for cold climates. They can quickly raise the temperature in a home. However, oil prices can fluctuate significantly, making it harder to predict costs. Another consideration is that oil furnaces typically require more maintenance than gas furnaces.
Electric furnaces generate heat by blowing air over electric resistance heating elements and circulating it throughout the house through ducts and vents. They are often less expensive to install and don’t require venting. However, while they convert nearly all electricity into heat, they can be a less cost-effective choice than gas or oil furnaces due to higher electricity costs, especially during peak times.
While all boilers heat water for hydronic systems, fuel and electric boilers differ significantly.
Like gas furnaces, gas boilers burn natural gas or propane to heat water or steam, making them a popular, affordable choice in colder states and where natural gas is common. Only 16% of Florida households used natural gas in 2020, while 90% of Utah households used natural gas that same year.
Gas boilers need moderate maintenance, such as annual venting system inspections and occasional gas pressure checks. Installation can be costly if you’re installing new gas lines.
Oil boilers are quick to warm up, and they create evenly distributed, cozy heat. Their annual maintenance needs include oil filter replacement, burner cleaning to remove soot buildup, and periodic oil tank inspection to prevent leaks and corrosion. Alongside maintenance costs, fluctuating oil prices make oil boilers a less economical choice for many homeowners. Oil boilers also produce more emissions than gas boilers, contributing to air pollution.
Like electric furnaces, electric boilers offer a clean and quiet alternative to oil and gas options. They use electric resistance to heat water. While they’re cost-effective to install, require less maintenance and convert energy more efficiently than fuel-burning boilers, electricity prices can surge and make operating an electric boiler more expensive in the long run. Because of this higher operational cost, electric boilers are best suited for smaller homes or as a supplemental heating source.
Heat pumps are gaining popularity worldwide because they’re energy-efficient, cost-effective to operate and kinder to the environment.
Air-source heat pumps extract heat from the outside air, even in relatively cold temperatures. They are the most common heat pump type in residential America, particularly in regions with moderate climates, because they can heat and cool a home efficiently. However, as temperatures drop, air-source heat pumps become less efficient. Households in very cold climates may need supplemental heating to stay comfortable.
Air-source heat pumps are relatively easy to install and are a good choice for homes that already have ductwork. They can be a good retrofit option for homes with existing forced-air heating systems. It’s important to choose a model that’s properly sized for your home to ensure optimal performance and efficiency.
Geothermal heat pumps, also known as ground-source heat pumps, tap in to the earth’s relatively constant temperature a few feet below the surface. They circulate a fluid through underground pipes to transfer heat, providing very efficient heating and cooling. Geothermal heat pumps boast a long lifespan and offer stable performance regardless of outside air temperature.
While the initial investment can be higher due to the need for underground piping and suitable land for installation, geothermal heat pumps can reduce energy consumption by 30% to 60% compared to traditional heating and cooling systems. They also require very little maintenance and can be used in various climates.
Ductless mini-split heat pumps are air-source heat pumps with an outdoor compressor and one or more indoor air handlers fitted on walls and ceilings throughout the home. They provide zoned heating and cooling, giving you room-by-room temperature control and saving you significant money on previously wasted heat. Installation is also far quicker and easier than many other heating systems.
Heat loss through defective ducts can account for more than 30% of energy consumption for space heating, especially if the ducts are not sealed properly. That means switching to a ductless mini-split system could save you nearly a third of your heating bills. Ductless mini-split heat pumps are a good solution to consider if you’re looking to retrofit a heating system, especially if you don’t have existing ductwork.
Aside from electric furnaces and boilers, electricity can heat your home in several ways.
Electric resistance heating systems generate heat by passing electricity through a concentrated resistance element, such as a coil or wire. This element gets very hot, warming the surrounding air, which then circulates and heats the room. It’s not the most efficient option — if you want to use electricity for regular heating, keep in mind that heat pumps reduce your electricity usage by 50% compared to electric resistance heating.
Electric radiant heating systems warm a large panel or cable embedded in a surface, such as a floor, wall or ceiling. The entire surface then emits heat, directly warming objects and people in the room through infrared radiation. Radiant heating provides a more even and comfortable heat than forced-air resistance heating and doesn’t spread airborne allergens.
Rising electricity costs can make electric radiant heating more expensive. However, using the system alongside a thick concrete floor that stores heat can improve cost-effectiveness. By switching your radiant floor heating on during cheaper off-peak hours, you can charge the floor with heat overnight and enjoy its warmth during the day.
While heating systems vary significantly from model to model, heat pumps are generally the most energy-efficient. They’re followed by high-efficiency gas furnaces and boilers, with electric resistance heating being the least efficient option. To tell the difference between various types of heating systems’ efficiency, we can use three measurements.
A British Thermal Unit (BTU) is the energy it takes to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit at sea level. BTU ratings indicate how much heat an appliance can produce in one hour. Different fuel sources have their own BTU measurements, meaning you need different amounts of each fuel to produce the same heat.
Understanding BTU ratings is essential for selecting a heating system that’s properly sized for your home’s heating needs. The two most important factors are your home’s square footage and your location’s climate zone, as colder climates generally need higher BTU outputs per square foot. How well your home is insulated and how many windows you have will also make a difference. It’s best to speak to a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) specialist who can precisely calculate the most efficient sizing for your home.
Fuel-burning heating systems, such as furnaces and boilers, are categorized by their Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) percentage. This number represents how much of the fuel’s energy the system converts to heat. In other words, the AFUE rating tells you how much of the input BTU — fuel — is converted into output BTU, which is the heat that warms your home.
A gas furnace with an input rating of 100,000 BTU and an AFUE of 80% will deliver 80,000 BTU of usable heat to your home per hour, wasting 20,000 BTU.
High-efficiency furnaces and boilers have an AFUE rating of 90% or higher, meaning they waste less fuel and can significantly lower energy bills. Older, lower-efficiency models can have ratings as low as 55% to 70%. Aim for the highest AFUE rating possible to maximize energy savings.
To find out your central heating system’s AFUE rating, you can:
We measure heat pump efficiency using the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) rating. Higher HSPF ratings indicate greater efficiency and lower utility bills. You can calculate yours by dividing the amount of home heating your system provides by its total electrical energy consumption in a given season.
While heat pumps with higher HSPF ratings often come with a higher price tag, the long-term energy savings can more than make up for the initial investment. If you upgrade from an older, less efficient heat pump to a new, high-efficiency model, you can significantly reduce your heating and cooling costs over time.
For example, a heat pump with an HSPF of 10.3 delivers 10,300 BTUs of heating for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity it uses. An electric resistance heater only produces about 3,400 BTUs of heat from the same amount of power. The difference is that heat pumps move heat from outdoors. This process uses less electricity than converting power into heat through an element, even at 100% efficiency.
While summers in the Southeast are usually warm, the states in the region can experience intense cold waves, so a good heating system is essential for year-round comfort. Heat pumps are a solid choice.
Although some homeowners supplement their air conditioning with simple electric space heaters, installing a heat pump that covers both your heating and cooling needs is more efficient and cost-effective in the long term. Benefits include:
Now that you’ve got the inside info on HVAC best practices, you can equip your Southeastern home with a heating system that saves you money and keeps your family warm in winter — and cool in summer. Strada Air Conditioning & Heating will expertly install your new heat pump and offer prompt repairs and maintenance to keep your system running efficiently all year round.
Ready to get started? Schedule a free consultation with our knowledgeable technicians, contact us online or give us a call to learn more.
Joe Strada, owner of Strada Electric, Security & Air Conditioning, started working at the young age of 14. He’s never attended college, but he has spent his life dedicating his time and energy to his trade and providing high-quality services to his customers. At 19, Joe started working at a well-known air conditioning company and developing his commitment to excellence. He has state certifications in electric, plumbing, air conditioning, residential building and general contracting. During his years of training and experience, Joe noticed a sincere need for a dependable electrical contractor in Florida who embodied the same dedication to customer service in which he believed. In 2003, Joe co-founded Strada Electric, Security & Air Conditioning. Since then, the company has been in the business of providing peace of mind to customers. We offer expert electric, security and air conditioning solutions for homes and businesses, leveraging our experience to deliver professional and responsive service with reliability and respect.
