Forced Air Heating
35 million homes in the USA use a home heating system called Forced Hot Air run by a gas furnace. The gas furnace heats air which is circulated around the house via ducting and fans. These heating systems are not very common in the UK because they can be noisy and they require extensive ducting throughout the property which is very expensive to install if they were not part of the original house design.
Electric Heaters
Using electric heaters is just one way to introduce warmth to any room. And, for the family on a tight budget, electric offers a distinct advantage over other forms of heating. This type of heating will improve efficiency by giving you control over electrical consumption as you can easily control which rooms you heat and when, while maintaining low installation and maintenance costs. Electric heaters are affordable standalone units meaning you can invest gradually in your heating system.
There are an increasing range of heater types on the market allowing you to select options ideal for each room too. There are traditional radiators, oil and water panels. Infra-red heaters can look like pictures and provide fast heat. Towel radiators are a great idea for bathrooms and kitchens as they not only give the home-owner a great amount of comfort by keeping your towels dry and warm; they also heat the room as well.
Hydronic or Water Heating
Hydronic heating systems use water by pushing it through pipes into radiators as a heating method. If your home is already heated by hot water the cost will mainly come from buying and installing your new heaters, new copper pipes, and if necessary a new oil or gas boiler. Though it is more efficient to use the small, sleek hydronic baseboard radiator heater units, they are also available in cast iron and steel.
This can be a very efficient way to heat large areas but you need to ensure that your boiler is well serviced. Check your boilers age and efficiency rating, although they are expensive to replace newer models can provide much better performance and energy efficiency.
Before You Buy Checklist
Before you commit to buying a heater you should carefully consider the following points:
- Setting a budget limit and sticking to it.
- The size of the room(s) and the amount of heat you want.
- The type of material: aluminium, cast iron, or steel.
- The colour and style: contemporary, classic, industrial, or modern. It should blend with the décor and colour scheme of the room.
- Determine the size of the heater: wall panel, short, fat, skinny, tall. It should be powerful enough to heat the entire room.
- Finally, determine how you want it powered: by electric heating, hydronic heating, or solar energy heating.
Once you have selected your heating type and budget the fun part can start! These days you can buy a huge range of colours and styles such as fat, thin, short, tall, flat, round, triangle, square, roller, wall panels and chrome. So your choice of heating panel will actually add some personality and design flare to your room.