What Heating System is Most Efficient?

Nowadays, people have many options when it comes to heating their homes. In the past, people could generally choose from either furnace or boiler heat. Today, people have choices like ductless heating and heat pump heating. While updating your home’s heating system can seem like a costly venture, there is one large advantage. That’s because modern heating systems operate at efficiencies their older counterparts don’t. And because of these efficiency levels, not only do these new systems make your home more comfortable. They save you on energy bills, too – and that helps you save money now and well into the future.

What heating system is most efficient? Much of that depends on the type of home you own. If your home is already set up for furnace or boiler heat, it probably is ideal to replace it with the same type of equipment. But that doesn’t mean you’ll suffer in the efficiency department. Say your current furnace is 20 years old. It’s probably operating at about 75-80 percent efficiency, tops. New furnaces available on the market today are operating at 99 percent efficiency. That means only one percent of the energy used to heat your home is lost – keeping you more comfortable and your bills lower.

New technologies help furnaces and boilers work better, too.

In the past, it was more difficult to keep the heating of your home balanced. Rooms with inadequate ductwork required you to crank the heat in order to keep them warm. Or, you had to close them off and use them seasonally. Now, you can install a single ductless unit in your space that doesn’t have proper ductwork. Ductless heating is extremely energy efficient, and an added bonus? It helps create an even balance of heated air in your home – and that allows your main heating system to work more efficiently.

And, ductless can be a great, energy-efficient option for your entire home.

Ductless mini-split systems allow for a unit to be installed in every room in your home. That way, you’ll be able to have greater control over your home comfort, from room to room. These systems have been manufactured to be super-efficient, so you can count on energy savings, too. One additional benefit to ductless systems is that they can also be used for cooling during the summer months. They offer you all-inclusive, year-round comfort, air filtration, proper humidification and super efficiency, so they’re usually a great choice for any home.

Heat pump systems provide energy efficiency and year-round comfort, too.

In the past few years, many developments have been made with heat pump technology. Better, more environmentally sound refrigerants have been developed, as well as technologies that allow heat pump systems to operate in much colder climates. Like ductless systems, heat pumps provide incredible energy efficiency, and are able to both heat and cool your home, eliminating the need for separate heating and cooling systems.