Climate Systems To Discuss With Your Heating Contractor When You Renovate Your Old House

3 May 2021
Categories: , Blog

If you're renovating an old house and need to put in a new furnace, you should talk to a heating contractor and get advice on the best way to heat your new home. You have a few options, so it doesn't hurt to explore them all. Here are some ways you can heat your house.

Gas Furnace

A gas furnace is one of the most popular ways to heat a home, especially in northern areas that get very cold in the winter. Gas is efficient, and a gas furnace is usually less expensive to operate once it's installed. However, gas furnaces tend to cost more than electric models. You might also want to consider the cost of having gas hookups installed if the home doesn't have them already.

Electric Furnace

An advantage of an electric furnace is that it is usually less expensive to buy and have installed. However, the savings are offset by the higher operating costs. An electric furnace might be a good option for areas that have mild winters. An electric furnace might also have a longer life. Plus, there are no issues with carbon monoxide with an electric furnace.

Mini-Split Heat Pump

You might want a heating contractor to explain the benefits of installing a mini-split heat pump in your renovated home. One advantage is the heat pump doesn't need ducts. Heat can blow out of small blowers that mount on the walls in various rooms of your home.

Another advantage of a heat pump that uses blowers rather than ducts is that it's easy to heat single rooms and leave other parts of your home at a much lower temperature so you can save on operating costs.

A Heat Pump With Ducts

If you don't like the look of blowers mounted on the walls in your home, but you like the idea behind a heat pump, then you might want a heat pump that blows air through ducts. These heating systems tend to work better in milder climates.

One of the big differences between a heat pump and furnace is that all the equipment, except for ducts, is outside. The heat pump outdoors makes both heat and cool air depending on the season.

Once you've discussed all your options with a heating contractor, you can feel confident you're making the right decision for your home. Consider your budget and climate when deciding what to buy and have installed. Don't forget your preferences, too. You may prefer the dry, hot heat produced by a gas furnace that other heating systems have a hard time duplicating.

For more information, contact a local heating contractor.

About Me

I almost always have my air conditioner inspected every spring before I start using it in the summer. However, last year I decided to skip the inspection. Everything had been OK for the last couple of years, so I assumed that it would be fine this year as well. Why not save a few dollars and skip the annual check up, just this once? Of course, this was the year that my air conditioner decided to break down. It ran for a few days, but it never really seemed to get cool enough to bring the indoor temperature down. Then it started making a loud noise, right before shutting off completely. By that time, the AC repair company was swamped like it always is when the weather is warm, and I had to wait days for an appointment. Next year, I will definitely be getting that yearly inspection first.