In countries where the weather is particularly cold during winter it is essential that you choose an efficient heating system to keep you and your family warm. Most of the newer homes will probably have a central air conditioning and heating unit but there are alternatives like water based central heating which is powered by a centralized boiler or furnace which can be very efficient and economical.
Heating TorontoA new heating system is a big commitment and some important considerations need to be considered before you choose which one to install. These should certainly include the maintenance requirements each year, the cost of installing the system and the ongoing running costs. There are other factors such as health concerns which can be an issue with forced air heating where air is blown around and can cause allergic reactions in people. There are three very popular types of heating systems available today so we will have a look at each one below:
Radiator Based Centralized Heating Systems
With water based central heating systems there is a lot of hardware to install which includes a centralized furnace, wall mounted radiators and copper pipes. Many pipes connecting all radiators to the boiler need to be installed and this can take many days depending on the size of your home. Some people do not like radiators as take up a fair amount of space in the home and are hardly a thing of beauty. The installation costs for central heating is high due to the amount of hardware (boiler, pipes and radiators) required and the labor time needed to complete the installation. This kind of system usually requires annual servicing and has quite low running costs.
Heating Systems That Used Forced Air
The forced air system is another central furnace based system that warms your home through hot air being pushed around ducts. There is a big installation cost here too as installing all of the duct work and the centralized boiler will take time. If you go for this type of system make sure that you install a high efficiency furnace. This new type of furnace is able to operate with oil, gas or electricity and are easily ventilated. These furnaces are efficient to run and can last up to twenty years if serviced regularly. With a forced air centralized system there is a health risk from the germs and other particles that are quickly pushed around your entire home and this can cause problems for people that are susceptible to this kind of situation.
Electricity Powered Baseboard Heaters
Electric baseboard heater systems have very low setup costs compared with the centralized water and air heating systems. The idea with baseboard heating is that heaters are installed in each room of your house and that the temperature of each room can be independently controlled. The problem with this type of heating installation is the running costs which can be ridiculously high especially in the coldest winter months. The other disadvantage of this form of heating is that the air in the rooms can become very dry and the best way to fix this is to place humidifiers in each room to create moisture. You will have to pay extra for these.
All heating systems have positive and negative points to them. Whatever system you choose be sure that you carry out the proper maintenance so that your heating system will take care of you when you need it most.
It is particularly cold in the Canadian province of Ontario in winter and at Toronto plumbing they have the experience to help you make your heating Toronto decision.