Types of Heating Systems - Pros and Cons

Types of Heating Systems - Pros and Cons

Furnaces
Most homes in the U.S. use a central heating system like a furnace to provide their heating. A furnace works by blowing heated air throughout the home through a system of ducts. It can be powered by electricity, natural gas, or fuel oil.
Pros - They are relatively inexpensive and their life expectancy is 15-30 years.
Cons - The blower fan can be loud

Boilers
Also considered a central heating system, boilers are special-purpose water heaters. While furnaces carry heat in warm air, boiler systems distribute the heat in hot water, which gives up heat as it passes through radiators or other devices in rooms throughout the house. The cooler water then returns to the boiler to be reheated. Hot water systems are often called hydronic systems. Residential boilers generally use natural gas or heating oil for fuel.
Pros - Easier to maintain heating only in rooms that need it.
Cons - Expensive to install and requires a minimum temperature to prevent pipes from freezing.

Heat Pumps
Heat pumps are simply two-way air conditioners. During the summer, an air conditioner works by moving heat from the relatively cool indoors to the relatively warm outside. In winter the heat pump takes in heat from the air outside with the help of an electrical system, and discharging that heat inside the house. Almost all heat pumps use forced warm-air delivery systems to move heated air throughout the house.
Pros - Can provide your home with both heating and cooling if you live in a mild climate.
Cons - Some types can be expensive to install.

Active Solar Heaters
Active solar heating systems use solar energy to heat either liquid or air and then transfer the solar heat to the interior space or to a storage system for later use. If the solar system cannot provide enough space heating, a back-up system provides the additional heat. Liquid systems are more often used when storage is included, and are well suited for radiant heating systems, boilers with hot water radiators, and even absorption heat pumps and coolers.
Pros - Can reduce your fuel bills.
Cons - May need a second heating source, which makes the initial purchase more expensive.

Electric Space Heaters
Portable electric heaters are affordable to buy, but expensive to use. These resistive heaters convert electric current from the wall socket directly into heat, like a toaster or clothes iron. Just remember, electric resistance heat is usually the most expensive form of heat.
Pros - Can be used for a number of distribution heating systems.
Cons - Can be expensive to operate compared to combustion appliances.