Types of Heating Typically Used in Homes

Writer • Oct 01, 2020

With winter approaching in the next couple months, it’s more critical than ever to make sure your home’s heating system is up to snuff. Of course, before you can have your home’s primary heating system maintained, repaired or replaced, it’s a good idea to figure out which type of heating you have in your home. Typically, the types of heating in homes in Portage, MI are split between two primary options: central heat and direct heat. Read on for more information about both.

Central heat

Central heat provides warmth to an entire house from one location:

  • Furnace: Far and away the most popular form of heating in the United States, conventional furnace setups pump warm air through a series of ducts located throughout a home. They are typically powered by electricity or some form of oil or natural gas.
  • Boilers: Where furnaces pump warm air through ducts, boilers use water to carry their heat throughout a home. As with furnaces, these types of heating in homes in Portage, MI rely on electricity, natural gas or oil.
  • Heat pumps: A heat pump uses an electrical system to pull hot air from the outdoors and pump it into the house. During the summer, heat pumps can reverse the trick, pulling heat from your home and depositing it outside.

Your local heating and cooling contractor can help you determine which type of central heating system is right for you.

Direct heat

Direct heat relies on several smaller units to supply heat to a specific space. On average, a direct heating system is much more cost efficient than central heating:

  • Space heaters: Baseboard electrical heaters are a cheap solution that a contractor can hard-wire in your home. If you want to rely on baseboard heaters, it’s a good idea to ensure that your home is well insulated.
  • Fireplaces and stoves: One of the most reliable means of providing heat to a small space is also one of the oldest. Fireplaces and stoves rely on a steady supply of wood to heat up a small space. While reliable (assuming you can build a fire), they are also a lot of work to maintain.

Space heaters and stoves come in a variety of shapes, sizes and fuel options. Ask a contractor about how direct heat can help you.

Looking to the future

Though central heating and direct heating are the most popular types of heating, they are by no means the only options. State-of-the-art radiant heating circulates warm water in tubes under the floor, which in turn heats the space around it. Ductless heat pumps are becoming more prevalent, too.

The heating team

Find out more about the heating types for homes in Portage, MI by getting in touch with All Brands Heating & Cooling. We have more than 30 years of experience providing the repair, installation and maintenance of furnaces, boilers, AC units, water heaters and more. All it takes is one call to our experts, and your problems will be a thing of the past. Reach out to us today—we can’t wait to hear from you!

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