How to Choose the Best Heating System for Your New Home

Furnace, HVAC

Choosing the best heating system for your new home is especially important in Michigan. With our cold, snowy winters, you want to make sure you can depend on your heater to keep your family warm and safe. At Parker-Arntz, our heating specialists offer installation and repair services for a variety of heating systems. Let’s take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of different heaters for your home.

Boilers

A boiler heats your home by first heating water. This produces steam that’s distributed throughout your home via a system of pipes. Boilers can last a long time, especially if given proper maintenance. The average water boiler lasts around 15 years. Flushing your hot water boiler at least once a year can prevent hard water sediments from building up and reducing your unit’s efficiency. A boiler is a great option for heating your home. However, it may not be the right choice if you live in an area with hard water. The minerals in hard water, such as calcium and magnesium, can collect at the bottom of your tank and form what’s known as scale. Scale can then extend to your pipes, which can cause serious plumbing problems. Our heating specialists can help you find a solution if you would like to install a boiler but have hard water issues.

Geothermal Heating

A geothermal heating system uses the stable underground temperatures to both heat and cool your home. No matter if we’re in the middle of a freezing Michigan winter or an unbearable summer heat wave, the underground temperature in Michigan stays at a stable 55 degrees Fahrenheit. In the winter, a geothermal heating system can convert warm underground water into heat from your home. Geothermal heating is a great, environmentally-friendly choice for both heating and cooling. In addition to saving money on your energy bill, you may also qualify for certain tax credits.

Gas Furnaces

Just like a boiler heats water before distributing it through your home’s system of pipes, a furnace heats air before blowing it through your home’s network of ducts. If given proper maintenance, furnaces typically last between 15 and 20 years. You’ll want to replace your dirty furnace filters every three to 12 months depending on the type of filter in use. Additionally, keep in mind that if you choose a gas furnace, you’ll need to install a carbon monoxide alarm in case there is a leak.

In-Floor Heating

It’s hard enough to get out of your warm, toasty bed in the morning, but it’s even harder in the winter when you know there’s an icy floor waiting for you. In-floor heating doesn’t just make it easier to start your day—it’s also one of the most energy-efficient ways to heat your home. Boilers and furnaces heat the water or air closest to them before distributing it through the house. With in-floor heating, you can heat an entire room at once. You don’t have to wait for your radiator to heat the entire house before heating that cold spot next to your bed—every room is heated directly, because the tubes are placed directly beneath your floors. In-floor heating is a great option for heating your home, but it can be a bit expensive all at once. If you’re unsure about the price, you can always just install it in a single room. For example, save your toes from that uncomfortable freeze first thing in the morning by installing in-floor heating in your bedroom.

Oil Heating

If you live out in the country, you may be too far from the nearest gas line to have a gas furnace. An oil heating system may be the best solution for your farm or estate. Keep in mind that if you use oil to heat your home, you’ll need to have a tank somewhere on your property that will need to be refilled as you go through your oil supply. Our technicians can answer your questions regarding oil furnaces and oil boilers.

Find the Right Heating System for Your Home

No matter which system you choose, our Greenville, MI, HVAC specialists can install, maintain, or repair your heating system so you can heat your home with confidence. Call Parker-Arntz Plumbing & Heating, Inc. today at (888) 641-3907, or contact us online for more information.