Electric radiant heating is a less efficient arizona heating system because it uses more energy to warm the air.
Electric radiant heating systems use approximately 20 to 40 percent more energy than electric heat pump systems. However, there may be less temperature differences in the home if zoned. For more information about arizona heating systems, schedule an appointment online today with chas roberts or by calling (520) 618-1884 in tucson, (602) 328-5066 in the phoenix area, or visit chasroberts. Com.
In-floor radiant heating systems—both electric and hydronic—use thermal radiation and electromagnetic waves to heat your home. Electric wires or water-filled tubes are installed underneath the flooring and warm a room by directly heating the floor instead of the air. Hydronic in-floor heating uses a boiler system and a variety of fuel sources, such as natural gas, oil, wood, solar, or some type of combination. This effect is called radiant heat transfer, the same thing you feel when heating your hands over a warm oven or going outside to feel warm sun on your skin.
Hydronic systems circulate hot or cold water or other fluid through radiator panels in rooms or under the floor (refer to in-slab heating below). The fluid may be heated or cooled by electric or solar pumps, or by gas if used for heating only. Solar systems can use gas, wood or electric heating as a back-up. Hydronic systems are typically more expensive to buy and install compared with space heaters. Ensure water circulation pipes are well insulated, and use smart controls to manage pump usage. Higher running costs are usually caused by unnecessary water circulation or poor pipe insulation.
There are four main types of home heating systems: furnaces, boilers, radiant heating systems, and space heaters. Furnaces use air to heat a home. Boilers use water to heat a home. Radiant heating systems use hot water or steam to heat a home through pipes that run under the floor or in the walls. Space heaters use either electricity or fuel such as propane or oil to generate warmth. The most common type of home heating system is a furnace , which uses gas, oil, or electricity to generate heat. Other types of home heating systems include heat pumps and pellet stoves.
Traditional Boiler and Radiator Systems
The main difference between furnaces and boilers is that furnaces generate heat using warm air, while boilers are a type of heating systems that generate heat using hot water. Moreover, they don’t blow dust or indoor air pollutants as opposed to furnaces, making them safe for people with allergies.
Boilers are hot water systems that distribute heat in water. The water is heated in a central boiler and circulated through a network of pipes to the radiator units installed strategically around your house. The water releases its heat at the radiators, which is then distributed around your home, and the cold water is returned to the boiler for reheating.
Water and steam do a great job of transporting heat throughout a home, so it makes sense that a boiler system would take advantage of them. A boiler system (also known as a hydronic systems) uses a centralized unit (the boiler) to heat a heat exchanger using either gas, liquid propane, oil, or electricity. As the water travels through the heat exchanger, it becomes hot or turns to steam, depending on the system. This heated water then circulates throughout the home (using a system of pumps) where it heats baseboard units or radiators. The cooled or condensed water travels back to the boiler for further heating.
With a well-running boiler, radiators make great home heating systems in winter. Most energy-efficient boilers and radiator systems run on natural gas or electricity. Once heated by the central boiler, hot water travels through metal pipes to distribute heat through the system’s cast-iron counterpart: the radiator unit. Because radiator systems can warm objects in the room around them, you can't place them near furniture or curtains. However, some benefits of radiant heating include: boilers produce less dry air than forced-air heating systems the circulation of hot water to generate heat makes the boiler and radiator system highly effective professional services offers boiler installation and maintenance.
Boilers are another common heating system in the lower mainland. Boilers force heated water through pipes that run throughout your home. If you have in-floor heating, these heated pipes run across the floors of your home – you will feel the heat underfoot as you walk across the room. Alternatively, the heat from the pipes may be distributed through a baseboard heater or heat register, which will be above the floor and at the bottom of a wall. Older homes may also have rooms heated by large cast-iron radiators sitting against the walls.
Set your programmable thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and lower the setpoint when you're sleeping or away from home. Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as recommended. Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they're not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes. Eliminate trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season; if unsure about how to perform this task, contact a professional. Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators. Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing; when replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise models.
Boilers use the remarkable heat containment power of water to transport heat throughout your home. Water can actually absorb a ton of heat and energy while remaining in a liquid state, and thus it’s actually quite effective at bringing even and reliable heat all throughout your home. You can think of a boiler sort of like a tankless water heater—your main unit uses a fuel source (usually gas) to bring water up to an extremely high temperature before sending it through a specialized series of plumbing lines. Those lines lead the hot water to radiative heating fixtures like a hydronic floor heater or radiators positioned in rooms all over your home.
Boiler heating systems are comprised of two parts: a furnace that provides heat. A vessel where water is converted to steam via heat piped in the furnace. Boilers usually have pressure gauges and rely on electricity, natural gas, propane, or oil to function. Heat is created from steam or hot water and distributed throughout your home via heating coils, baseboard radiators, or radiant heat floor systems. In addition to heat, boilers can also provide hot water to your home.