No matter where you live there are periods of hot and cold. The cold times are the moments that I personally cannot stand. I have moved all over the world and one thing has remained constant, I have always owned a heating system. The type of heater I have experienced has greatly changed overtime. A lot of factors depend on the heating equipment you have. Sometimes a heating device is typical for the climate. There are times a certain heating option is only offered in a specific area. The home layout also can play a key factor in the style of heating equipment you choose. No matter what though, a quality heater is what every person needs in order to get through a winter season. I have experienced winters of 6-8 solid months and cold seasons that were only a few weeks. Even with the vastly different temperatures and phases of time, I was glad to have my heater at my side. So now brings the question, what kind of heater do I want to own?
There are many options for heating equipment. There is the basic furnace that can be either an oil, gas or electric based unit. Which one is better for you? Check out my other blogs titled Heating systems for northerns or Heating systems for southerners based on where you live. Right now I am just breaking down the options that a person could choose from. After the furnace, there is also a boiler system. This is the giant heating system that sits in a person’s basement. It can be hooked up to piping that goes into the baseboards, within the floorboards or even come up through openings in the house. You don’t need to get a boiler system in order to have heated floorboards however. Hydronic heating does require boiler installation and a new floor put down. However, electric heated floors are just electric mats that are placed under the floorboards. No mess or stress with this! Another option for milder climates would be a heat pump system that provides both heating and cooling. All systems are expensive because you rely on them almost daily. They are also a significant investment lasting 10-15 years. You get what you pay for. Don’t just buy whatever is convenient. Consider your heating options and fully research.