Top Choices When It's Time to Upgrade Your Home Heating System

Heating systems in older homes might be overdue for an upgrade. Heating systems have a set lifespan that will tell you when it is time for you to invest in a new one. If your heating system is over 15 years old, it's probably time to say goodbye.

Other ways to know it is time for an upgrade may be a little less obvious. Your heating energy bills may be climbing, your system might be underperforming and you brush it off, you may try to put a Band-Aid on the system by paying for frequent repairs, and weird colors or smells may be coming out of your ventilation system. Here are our top choices when it comes to upgrading your home heating system.

Fuel Type / Energy Source

Image via Flickr by Bryn Pinzgauer

For the majority of people, the cost is a large factor that goes into the decision of which heating and cooling system to buy for your home. In many parts of the country, natural gas is available. This option can be low cost and environmentally friendly. When natural gas is not available, an electric heating and cooling system is a great option. If you live in a region where the climate is less severe, heat pumps can also work well. 

Distribution: Forced Air vs. Hot Water

Forced air is the most popular distribution option in the U.S. When you use forced air in your home, the system distributes air through the air ducts and registers. Hot water systems boil water which is then circulated through copper or plastic piping, typically to baseboard radiators.

Each distribution system has its own pros and cons. The main advantage of forced air systems is that the ducts that are used to distribute the air can also be used to circulate air from an air conditioning unit. The disadvantage is that moving air can feel colder than you want it to. Even though the air that is being circulated is warmer than room temperature, you may feel chilly and wonder if your system working properly. Don't worry — the house will warm up so that you can be nice and toasty for the winter months.

The main advantage of hot water systems is that the same system can be used to provide domestic hot water. Their main disadvantage is that they cost significantly more than forced air systems. Which system is best for you all comes down to performance, quality, and budget.

Sun-powered

It's conceivable to specifically warm a house with dynamic sunlight-based innovation, from boards that flow heated water through tubing or catch sun-warmed air to blow into a home. In any case, the quickest developing pattern today is to utilize sunlight based electric—or photovoltaic—boards to produce capacity to work electric warming alternatives, for example, warm pumps.

Utilized as a part of conjunction with an air-source warm pump, sun based electric boards can supply control when the sun's sparkling and bank credits with your utility for when it's dull or excessively shady. As sun-oriented board costs have descended and warm pump execution has increased, this marriage of the two advancements has made a cooperative energy that is speaking to numerous Mainers, since it offers the guarantee of steady, long-haul vitality bills.

Other Options

You'll have many different options to choose from when shopping for an upgraded home heating system:

Furnaces
Boilers
Heat Pumps
Radiant Floor Heat
Space Heaters
Fireplaces

When choosing a new and improved heating system for your home, you should consider all of your options and carefully evaluate the systems that are within your budget. Home heating systems are not "one size fits all," and they require research before buying. If you would like more help finding the right heating solution for your home, visit an HVAC professional.