There are now many options for heating your home and they vary in price, environmental impact, and complexity of installation. It can be hard to juggle these factors when making a decision about the right heating system for your home and budget.
Warm air heating systems are an increasingly popular choice for homeowners wanting to invest in a more environmentally-friendly option which can reduce your energy bills. However, these often involve a sizeable up-front cost for installation, which can also be disruptive depending on the system you choose, and not all warm air heating systems include heated domestic water. There are different types of warm air heating systems, and they each carry pros and cons, so here we’ll take a look at them in greater detail.
Types Of Warm Air Heating Systems
Gas-fired
This system draws in air from outside and warms it over a gas flame before it is circulated throughout the home and distributed through ducts, vents, or grills located in different rooms.
Air to Air Source Heat Pump
This system extracts the useful heat from ambient outside air to heat your home.
Ground Source Heat Pump
Pipes are buried underground where there is a constant supply of heat and as air passes through, it is heated and distributed throughout the home.
Hybrid Heat Pump
A hybrid heat pump operates in conjunction with a boiler and can be used manually or set automatically. Some systems can even support carbon reduction by alternating between the boiler and heat pump dependent on which requires the least carbon to operate at any given time – or you can choose to use both simultaneously during peak low temperatures.
Pros of warm air heating:
- Running costs can be as much as 18% lower than other types of heating systems.
- Your domestic carbon footprint can be reduced by as much as 50-60%.
- The UK government has domestic grants available to subsidise some home heating systems.
- The systems use wall ducts, vents, and grills, eliminating the need for radiators.
- Unlike older air conditioning systems, modern warm air heating systems are very quiet.
- If you choose a heat-pump, these are installed externally to the home and are no louder than the hum of a fridge.
- Often modern systems have electronic controls such as a thermostat to deliver a consistent temperature and give you control of your energy usage.
- You can opt for electronic filtration which removes 95% of all airborne particles and irritants.
Cons of warm air heating:
- One of the main downsides is that most systems do not heat domestic water, so you may need to continue using a boiler or an immersion heater – or invest in a hybrid heat pump.
- The upfront cost to install a warm air heating system is expensive, and to be eligible for a government grant you must follow specific guidelines and use an approved installer.
- Air to air heat pumps are not currently eligible for subsidisation through government grants.
- There are only a few manufacturers and installers, so prices are high and options are limited.
- The installation of ground heat source pumps is disruptive as trenches need to be dug externally so you need a garden, and the pipework needs to be laid underground.
- Air source heat pumps begin losing efficiency between 4oC and -3oC and end up using more energy to extract the useful heat.
- Retrofitting a modern system into an older home can involve a difficult installation process and result in unsightly visible vents and ducts.
- For those who suffer with allergies of have breathing problems, warm air heating systems will transport dust, pollen, and other irritants throughout the home.
If you’re still struggling to decide what the best heating system is for your home, get in touch with Rowlen today and speak to the heating experts and we can point you in the right direction.
