Home heating and cooling systems function all year to cope with various weather conditions. They serve great importance to homeowners that it’s almost impossible for a home not to have any. Yet, despite the energy consumption levels, some families prefer heating systems over cooling systems.
During cold weather, the temperature within a home is regulated using a heating system to ensure the warmth and comfort of the home occupants.
Given that, heating systems are home essentials. When purchasing one, there are mainly two kinds to look out for — forced air systems and central air systems. Both systems process heat and regulate temperature differently.
What Is A Forced Air System?
Forced air system refers to heating systems that use air as their heat transfer medium. Here, the forced air heating system pulls cold air into the ducts, heats it, and transfers it into homes.
All sources of forced air systems go through a process of heat exchange. It’s the core connecting element between all forced-air systems, facilitated by a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is responsible for air conversion and heat generation. It works like a chamber through which cold air runs and is converted to heat.
With a forced-air system, the cold air coming into a home goes directly into the heating system and comes out, generating a high-temperature air that circulates in the house. This air is usually between 30°F to 90°F. To keep it in good shape, regularly conduct a forced air system maintenance inspection.
What’s The Difference Between Central And Forced Air Systems?
Like every other home appliance, heating systems are essential and choosing one should be a thorough and careful process. While choosing between central and forced air systems can make you indecisive, here are significant differences between them:
- Heat Generation Method
A central heating system produces temperature-controlled heat, usually through a heat pump. In a forced-air system, the heating system works from a single thermostat through air ducts and vents. It absorbs cooler air, warms it up through a heat exchange method, and spreads it across the house.
- Warmth Production And Distribution Level
For a central heating system, warmth is circulated across all the interiors and rooms within the home. Some effective heating systems are furnaces and boilers.
In a forced-air heating system, the heat produced only spreads across an enclosed space. The generated heat doesn’t apply to other rooms. Here, the warmth is only felt within the room where you position the heating system. Some forced air systems are natural gas, electricity, hydronic oil, and heat pumps.
- Installation Cost
When it comes to the central heating system, the installation is cost-effective because you can quickly fix it up yourself without a third party.
Installing and mounting a forced-air heating system requires the services of professionals. You’ll need to contact an HVAC company or expert to help you install it for improved performance and efficiency.
- Energy Consumption Level
While heating systems are essential to every homeowner, managing energy bills are equally important. A central heating system uses less energy.
A forced-air heating system may use more energy, but its comprehensive functions. You can control the energy level, depending on the system you bought, its type, and its functions. Professionals can also help in this regard.
- Performance Level
Due to its operation level, central heating systems are preferred for specific places such as offices, business places, and condominiums.
Forced air systems have a loud performance level which is usually why most people prefer it only in certain places like in a home.
Pros And Cons Of Forced Air System
When it comes to using a heating system, they all come with various pros and cons. Before choosing a forced-air system, it’s essential to take note of its flaws and strengths. Some of them include
Pros
- Heating Pumping Method: Forced air systems pump heat within a home faster than other heating systems. The air generated into the heat exchanger is directly heated and immediately transferred back into the house through the ducts.
- Expert Services: It’s always a relief for homeowners knowing that the work of maintaining, servicing, and fixing their heating system will be in the hands of experts. Here, the certainty of a well-functioning heating system relies on the professionals, and there’s more guarantee of its quality performance.
- Easy Installation: Forced air systems don’t require you to complete a tedious installation process. It works perfectly with systems within the home. If you already have ductwork available in your home, the heating system can be connected to the ductwork, making the installation process more manageable.
- Reliability: Unlike other heating systems that depend primarily on electricity to function, forced air systems are more dependable to use in a home.
- Controlled HVAC Budgeting: A forced-air system shares its ductwork with a cooling system in many parts. This is a good option for homeowners looking for a budget-friendly HVAC system.
Cons
- Possible Health Risk: While it’s a reliable source for heat generation within a home, forced air systems come with potential health risks. They carry dust and particles that end up in the air duct. Maintaining and reducing its health risks requires regularly cleaning the air duct.
- Noise Generation: Forced air systems produce noise compared to other heating systems. Even though a homeowner can regulate the noise generated, it is impossible to eliminate the noise generation.
- Central Temperature Control: Since the forced air system controls and regulates air into a home using one thermostat, the air heat generated in different rooms is not similar.
- Maintenance Cost: Since fixing and maintaining a forced-air heating system is the work of a professional, it often costs the owner some extra cash to guarantee its efficiency.
- Installation Risk: Most homeowners might feel compelled to fix their forced air system themselves with a manual. Setting it without the assistance of an expert might lead to the risk of improper installation.
- Thorough Maintenance: Since the air transferred and heat generated from a forced-air system goes through vents and air ducts, the ductwork requires constant cleaning of mold and dust to maintain the air quality within the home. Also, since the filter easily gets clogged and reduces its ability to circulate heat, the air filter has to be constantly cleaned and maintained.
How Does A Forced Air System Work?
Forced air systems work differently from central heating systems. They generate heat through natural gas, hydronic oil, or electricity.
For a forced-air system that uses gas, the heating process is conducted through a heat exchanger through a gas ignition. The heat exchange absorbs cold air within a space warms it up through a heating pump before warm air is forced into the room.
For an electric forced air system, heat is generated through a high-resistance wire which absorbs cold air, and the absorbed air pushes out warm heat through the duct or vent of the heating system.
When it comes to generating heat into a room, a forced-air system only functions and distributes warm air only when it has absorbed the cool air in a space. The air usually passes through the system’s filter.
Due to how temperature-controlled the air released by a forced system is, you can easily regulate the air produced in a particular space. For a forced-air system installed with more than a vent, when you don’t want the heat to spread across to other areas of the home, you can regulate its circulation by closing the vent that generates heat into the room.
A forced-air system is well-regulated compared to other systems. Since it uses a thermostat to regulate temperature, the system communicates operation with the assistance of the installed thermostat.
Conclusion
When choosing a heat generation method in a home, consider the various options. Many homeowners opt for a heating system due to several reasons. Still, it’s crucial to make an informed decision like seeking expert guidance before purchasing your HVAC system because this system will be staying with you for a long time.
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