Heating is a vital need for all of us. Several heating systems can meet this need perfectly. The choice of your heating system will be guided by several factors, including your home, your area of residence, your heating needs, and above all, your budget. Many people make mistakes when buying their new furnace or when choosing the contractor for a furnace repair. Here are a few to avoid to make the right choice when buying a new furnace also boiler for underfloor heating.
1. Requesting a single quote
From company to company, prices may vary. Besides, specific advantageous option proposals such as a maintenance contract or an extension of the warranty.
2. Accepting the lowest bid
Choosing the lowest price is rarely the best choice because three things influence the purchase price when buying a new furnace:
- The power, which varies according to the area of ​​the residence and its configuration
- The quality of the products
- The quality of the installation
We, therefore, recommend that you prioritize value for money.
3. Neglecting the HSPF in favour of the SEER
The SEER is the energy efficiency coefficient of a heat pump in air conditioning, while the HSPF is the energy efficiency coefficient in heating mode.
In Canada, there is a need for much more heating than air conditioning. So, it is better to turn your attention to the HSPF when buying a new furnace. The higher it is, the more efficient your furnace will be.
4. Neglecting the surface of your house or apartment
Heating a 10-room home or a small studio apartment is completely different. Note also that if small areas can often be satisfied with electric heaters. On the other hand, large surfaces will need more powerful systems such as a geothermal heat pump. It is also essential to have enough space to install your furnace.
5. Not considering the long term price
To assess it, you have to think about the short, medium, and long term. Some furnaces can be attractive with a little cost to purchase but prove needy in use. Conversely, some pricier furnaces end up needing no to small repair over the years.
The different types of furnaces
Remember that there are many furnaces to choose from. When it comes to residential or commercial heating, several options vary depending on your needs, preferences, and budget. Here is an overview of the main options available to you to help you make an informed selection of your next heating system.
The different types of heating systems vary depending on the energy used to heat your home or business. The main types are wood, oil, gas, electric and solar heating, and heat pumps.
Oil furnace
This type of heater remains one of the most popular and used. Whether through an oven or a forced-air boiler, this heating system, which operates by burning oil, distributes even heat throughout the room and is economical.
Advantages
Some systems that use oil for heating, but without a fan, do not require an electrical connection, which makes them useful during power outages. This is a great backup heater. Boilers and furnaces with forced air burners with an electrical connection, have a much higher efficiency.
Also, the oil heater has a tank connected to the furnace. Therefore, the supply of the latter is ensured continuously without intervention other than delivery by your heating oil supplier, making this heating safe.
Forced air or hot water heating systems attached to a heating oil furnace produce extremely comfortable heat.
Disadvantages
The maintenance of a furnace is problematic:
- An inspection of the stove and the tank should be done annually
- A carbon monoxide detector should be functional and checked periodically
- The chimney must be maintained
- The burner should be recent for better efficiency
- There are many risks associated with aging oil tanks, such as a broken or ruptured tank.
Price is also an issue for households and institutions. The liter of heating oil came close to the dollar at the peak of the cold snap this winter. The cost of fossil fuels will also increase rapidly, with Ottawa’s imposition of a price per tonne of emissions expected to reach $ 50 in 2022.
Gas furnace
Another type of system, gas heating, can be done with a stove, a furnace, a boiler, or a fireplace. It is one of the most ecological and economic forms of heating. Depending on the gas used (natural gas, propane, etc.), the effects felt will not be quite the same.
Advantages
Gas offers you thermal comfort while remaining reasonably economical. It adapts to several types of high-performance equipment: boilers, condensing boilers, radiators, and heated floors.
Disadvantages
Gas remains a polluting energy. Also, if you are settling down, make sure you can hook up to the network. This is not always the case in the countryside.
Electric furnace
Another mode that uses electricity to operate; electric heating allows you to heat your home in an efficient and environmentally friendly way. However, the electricity bill can go up quickly. The advantage of electric heating, besides the fact that the energy used is clean, is that electric heaters are available in several models (baseboards, wall convectors, radiators, furnaces, etc.) and offer exceptional aesthetic finishes.
The advantages
This is undoubtedly the type of heater that is best suited to small spaces. Today, inertial radiators offer better thermal comfort than the old energy-hungry convectors. Using programmable thermostats and storage systems, you can better control your consumption and reduce your bill.
The disadvantages
Electricity is a polluting fossil fuel. Electric heating is often more expensive than the others.
Modulating furnace
A modulating furnace is a furnace that will adjust the quantity of gas it burns to reach the thermostat’s target temperature. Modulating furnaces are usually pricier than other types of furnaces, but many people find the benefits that come with it worth it.
This permits it to pinpoint the temperature, for the most part, with just a ½°F room forgiving and taking. (Different heaters can be off by 4-6°F.) Modulating heaters won’t squander vitality from always stopping and, instead, running consistently at lower vitality levels. You’ll, despite everything, get the warming you need, yet with less force required.
As to which heating system is the best, it depends on your needs, budget and where you live. When buying a new furnace, don’t simply replace the one you have with something similar, or go for the same one your friend or a family member has. Make sure to take all these points into consideration to make the best possible pick!
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