As a homeowner, you must consider countless different things when you are renovating. Whether it’s paint, furniture, outlet locations, wallpaper, or flooring material, the list of items to complete can seem endless. However, many homeowners overlook the importance of a high-quality air system in the home.
When considering various airflow methods, have you ever asked yourself the question, “What is the difference between forced air and radiant heat?” If you still don’t know the answer, this piece will guide you through the ins and outs of both radiant heat and forced air.
What To Know Before You Make Your Decision
You will definitely want to have a high-quality heating system to keep you warm during the colder seasons. First, however, you need the correct information in order to purchase the most suitable product for your home.
Since heating is often the most expensive utility that a homeowner will need to pay for, finding the most efficient system available is critical. How you heat your home can put a significant financial strain on your household, and an inefficient system will also make you uncomfortable if it’s tough to stay warm.
Depending on the budget for your renovation, you will need to find the most affordable yet efficient heating system that makes you comfortable and uses the fuel types available near you. If your town offers multiple types of heating fuel, you will have to choose which one to go with for your home. Some common heat sources are electricity, oil, propane, natural gas, or wood if you have a chimney.
After you decide which heating source you want to use, then figure out which method of delivery you want to install in the home. This is where the debate between forced air and radiant heat comes into play.
The Benefits and Disadvantages of Forced Air
A heating system that uses forced air means that the system relies on warm air to heat a space. The system will push this warm air throughout your home so that the whole space remains at a comfortable temperature.
Central heating and ductwork that’s built in often use forced air. Typically, the furnace will be in a central location of the home or the basement because it needs to be able to reach all areas of the home. Most heating systems that use forced air will use the heat from burning natural gas to distribute around the house, but electric furnaces are also available.
One of the major advantages of using forced air is that it’s possible to both heat and cool your house with the same system. Also, changing the air filter will improve your home’s air quality, making this system circulate clean air easily throughout your home. However, forced air does come with its disadvantages.
For instance, if you don’t change the filter regularly, dust and dirt can build up rapidly, lowering your overall air quality. Check out some HVAC filters online if you don’t know which one to choose. These units are very noisy, which can be annoying if it’s in the center of the house.
Additionally, air can leak out unevenly, which will reduce the machine’s efficiency and cost you more down the line. Heat loss is the most significant downside because an extensive airflow system will have many locations for leakage along the way. If there are tiny holes in your air ducts, they can lead to hefty costs in your utility bills.
When your ducts go through cold rooms like a basement or attic, this will also heighten the chances of heat loss occurring in your house. Since heat naturally rises, this will turn your basement and floors into the coldest components of your home. This would require you to obtain a standalone heater for your basement or turn on the heat for the entire house just to keep warm downstairs.
Homes that don’t possess air ducts will need to install them in order to rely on a forced air HVAC system. Sometimes, these systems can be so costly to install and maintain that they aren’t worth the money. Nonetheless, if your home already has the necessary capabilities for a forced air system, then it would be cheaper than trying to install a radiant heating system.
Positive and Negative Attributes of Radiant Heat
Radiant heat warms your home by directly transferring energy to a surface when it encounters electricity, hot air, or water. The heat then moves from the surface to anything and anyone else in the room by way of infrared radiation.
Specialists will install these types of systems under the floors, but baseboard heaters next to the floor are also common. Radiant heat has a few attributes that make it better than forced air.
These systems are energy-efficient, allergy-friendly, quiet, and do not push air throughout the home. So if the air in your home isn’t clean, you don’t have to worry about a radiant heating system disturbing your breathing. Radiant heat will also serve as a heating supplement for colder rooms and stands on its own, making it ideal for renovation and projects where you need to rely on other heating methods.
One of the biggest advantages of radiant heat over forced air is that it doesn’t fall prey to heat loss because it does not rise through the air. It simply does the job more efficiently than forced air. There are many more options for customization with radiant heat than forced air because you can control the heat in each individual room.
This leads to less wasteful heat distribution, saving you money on your energy bill. However, there are a few downsides to using this system.
If you live in a colder climate, heating your entire home is more expensive with radiant heat than forced air. Since these components are underneath the floor, they are less accessible when it comes time to repair them. Finally, radiant heat does not provide cool air like forced air systems can.
Overall, there are pros and cons to using both types of systems. Now that you can answer the question, “What is the difference between forced air and radiant heat?” you can make the best decision for your needs.
