Introduction to Home Heating Systems

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the difference between space and central heating,

• Be able to identify different types of distribution systems,

• Have basic knowledge of various heating system options, and

• Be familiar with energy efficiency ratings

What is a Heating System?

A heating system is defined as any piece or combination of equipment that is used to raise the temperature in your home. This can be accomplished several ways, using energy sources such as:

Solar Oil Wood

Electricity Gas

Types of Heating Systems

Regardless of the fuel source, heating systems

can be divided into two basic categories:

Space heating Central heating

Space Heaters

Space Heaters heat nearby air or objects and their ability to heat is limited to a specific area. There are several small heating units located throughout the home.

Examples: • Electric Baseboard• Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump• Wood stove • Fireplace

Central Heating

Central Heating Systems have a much higher heating capacity than a space heater. There is generally one heating unit attached to a distribution system throughout the home. Heat is transferred using either water or air.

Examples:– Furnaces

– Boilers

– Heat pumps

Water Based Distribution

Water based systems (hydronic systems) use pipes and circulation pumps to distribute heated water throughout the home.

Hydronic systems can use heating equipment such as boilers, geothermal heat pumps, and solar water heaters.

Hydronic systems offer many distribution options

In-floor heating

Hot water baseboards

Radiators

Forced Air Distribution

Forced air systems use ductwork and circulation fans to distribute heated air throughout the home.

Heating equipment includes furnaces, air source and geothermal heat pumps.

Choosing the right Heating System

If you are thinking of installing a new or upgrading your existing heating system, you have several options to choose from. But the decision of which one is best for you and your home will be affected by several factors.

Answering the following questions may help you determine your best heating option:

1. Central or Space heating?2. Forced air or Hydronic?3. What fuels can I access?4. What’s my budget?

Central or space heating?

If you have an existing home with electric baseboard, your options are somewhat limited unless you are willing to install ductwork/plumbing.

The only way to increase the efficiency of an electric baseboard heated home is to add a supplemental heat source such as a ductless mini-split heat pump, wood stove or solar thermal heater.

If you have an existing centrally distributed system then you are limited to technologies based on whether it is forced air or hydronic.

Central or space heating?

If you are building a new home, your options are wide open!

While electric baseboard is generally less expensive and a quick install, you are limited in your options to upgrade in the future.

A centrally distributed heating system offers flexibility to change fuels and adapt to new technologies. Some central systems also offer the advantage of cooling.

And many centrally distributed systems can be significantly less expensive to operate in the long run.

Forced air or hydronic system?

When selecting a system for a new home, whether you choose a forced air or hydronic system is usually a matter of comfort and/or options. Forced air systems can easily be adapted for cooling, whereas some homeowners prefer the feel of radiators or in floor heating from hydronic systems.

Once you’ve made the decision or if you are looking to upgrade, you have the following options based on your system type:

Forced air systems can be a high efficiency furnace, an air source heat pump, or a geothermal system.

Hydronic systems can be a high efficiency boiler, a geothermal heat pump, or a solar water heater.

What fuels can you access?

When trying to decide which heating system is best for you, a good place to start is by eliminating any options that won’t work :

• If considering geothermal, what is the soil like? Do you have enough land to dig trenches? Do you have any natural aquifers or wells you could tap into?

• If considering solar, do you have a south facing roof free from shading?

• Do you have access to natural gas?

• Are you in a designated Wellfield Protection Area? If so, you can’t use oil or geothermal.

What’s your budget?

The most efficient heating systems often have the highest price tags. But the money you save on fuel each month could pay for the system over a few years, leaving you with extra savings in the long run.

Consider both the upfront cost and the cost over the lifetime of the heating system.

If you’re starting from scratch, the equipment costs will be small compared to the overall cost for your home; the savings on your heating bill can far outweigh the increase in your monthly mortgage!

Comparing apples to apples

Since each type of heating systems uses different technology and energy sources, energy efficiency and energy consumption is calculated differently.

So how do you figure out which system is more efficient when comparing multiple technologies?

Heating Output

Most heating appliances measure heat output in kilowatt hours (kWh) or British thermal units (Btus). Heat pumps measure output in Btus or tons.

1 kWh= 3,413 Btu

1 ton = 3.51 kWh = 11,980 Btu

Efficiency of furnaces and boilers

How we measure fuel efficiency depends on the technology:

Electric resistance appliances, and oil or gas furnaces and boilers use the Annual Fuel Usage Efficiency (AFUE)

The AFUE is calculated using btus.

The higher the AFUE the more efficient the appliance.

Heat produced

Fuel usedAFUE = X 100%

Efficiency of heat pumps

Geothermal Heat Pumps use Coefficient of Performance (COP) to measure heating output.

Air Source Heat Pumps use Heating Season Performance Factor (HSPF)

Heat produced (kwh)

Fuel used (kwh)COP =

Heat produced (btus)

Fuel used (kwh)HSPF =

ENERGY STAR®

To be sure you are choosing a high efficiency, quality heating system look for the ENERGY STAR symbol

The ENERGY STAR rating is reserved for the top performing (most efficient) heating systems.

Incentives

If you’re thinking of installing a new heating system or upgrading your existing system to a high-efficiency, ENERGY STAR rated model, there are subsidies available through Efficiency NB’s Residential Energy Efficiency Program (REEP):

For more information, check out the following links:

Existing Homes Existing Apartment BuildingsNew Homes New Apartment Buildings

Other Documents in this series:

Visit efficiencynb.ca/learningcenter

• Building your Energy Efficient New Home• Building Materials Overview• Heating with Electricity• Heating with Oil and Gas