If you’re in the market for a new heating system, then there’s a good chance you’d have heard of the term, ‘forced air heating’ and this is quickly followed by the question: ‘what is forced air heating?’
There are many different kinds of heating systems and it’s not entirely unusual to get overwhelmed by the choices that are presented to you.
A forced-air heating system is a heating system that moves heat throughout a building using air.
In this system, heated or cooled air is pushed through a series of ducts and is expelled from vents into the rooms to maintain a certain temperature.
The temperature corresponds to whatever has been set on the thermostat, and once it achieves this temperature, it will close down until the temperature drops or heightens again.
Different Kinds of Forced Air Heating Systems
The biggest differentiator between different types of forced air heating systems is the kind of equipment that heats the air. For example, you might have a gas or electric furnace, a heat pump or a hydronic coil. All of these are capable of heating air, and when put to work with a fan, blower or air handler it is capable of moving heated air throughout a building.
Forced air systems are generally constructed to incorporate air-con systems and can effectively keep your building comfortable year-round. This is ideal when heat pumps are being utilised as they are able to both heat and cool and are actually very energy efficient.
Is Forced Air for Me?
If you have ductwork already installed or you are building a system from scratch, then it can often make sense to opt for forced-air heating. However, if you’re in the market to replace your current system within a building that doesn’t already have ductwork in place, then you will be required to have these installed and may add a lot to the overall installation costs. The benefits of this, however, often overrule the cost as forced air systems are the only installation that can marry heating and cooling.
