Do you know how much energy it takes to heat your home? Looking at your power bill can give you an idea. What it doesn’t tell you, though, is how much energy your heating system is wasting. If you want to reduce that waste, lower your energy bills, and heat your home more efficiently, you might consider a hydronic heating system.
Forced Air vs Hydronic Systems
The typical heating method that you find in most modern homes is called a forced-air system. A furnace heats up the air, which is then sent through a system of ducts, which deliver it to the various rooms in your house.
A hydronic system works by heating water rather than air. There’s no ductwork. Instead, hot water flows through pipes in the walls of your home. Each room of the house has a heat exchanger, which takes the heat from the water and uses it to heat the room.
Pros and Cons of Forced Air vs Hydronic Systems
The problem with forced air systems is that they’re prone to energy loss. Leaky or damaged ducts reduce the amount of warm air reaching each room, thus requiring more energy overall to make your house comfortable. By using a separate heat exchanger for each room, hydronic systems don’t have that problem. This can significantly lower your energy bill. It also takes less energy to move heat through water than it does through air.
Hydronic systems also distribute heat more evenly. With a forced-air system, you may have one section of the house that’s warmer than another, as well as cold drafts and corners where the heat doesn’t reach. Hydronic heating keeps each room a uniform temperature.
The main drawback to a hydronic system is the price. It’s very expensive to install. Putting a heat exchanger in each room, plus retrofitting additional pipes for hot water, doesn’t come cheap. However, over time, you can recover that money with reduced energy bills.
To learn more about forced air vs hydronic systems, contact us at CCAC. The home comfort needs of Corpus Christi are our chief concern.