Apart from insulation, heating systems are some of the easiest ways to heat your house especially in the cooler months. Considering all the heating system options offered by heating companies in Chicago, it can be tricky deciding which model to choose. Read on to find out more.
Heating system types
There are two types of heating systems, radiant and convective heaters.
* Radiant heaters are used for heating objects rather than air. The heat is emitted from a hot surface. They are quite useful in rooms with large spaces.
* The convective heaters fill a room with warm air. The heat is transferred using moving water or air from one object to another. These heaters have fan heaters and heating systems that are ducted and work best for insulated rooms with normal ceiling height.
Heating system choices
For your home, the most common heating options are:
* Ducted heating: These conventional heaters circulate warm air via insulated ducts that open up to the room from the ceiling or floor.
* Hydronic heating: Water is used for heating the entire home via fan coil convectors, skirting board convectors or radiator panels using both radiation and convection.
* In-slab heating: Hot water pipes or internal electric cables heat concrete slabs. This gives off radiant heat and is a suitable choice for high ceiling rooms.
* Electric thin film heating: Thin films are installed in the floor coverings, wall panels or ceiling giving off radiant heat.
* Gas space heaters: They are able to provide a combination, radiant or convective heat. They use LPG or gas and are mounted either on external or internal walls.
* Off-peak electric storage heater: There is also a convective or radiant heater that stores off-peak electricity in storage bricks as heat.
* Reverse cycle air conditioners: This electric convection heater extracts heat from outside and redistributes it in your home.
* Electric panel convectors, also known as space heaters: These radiant and convection heaters make use of peak rate electricity and are quite expensive to run, but best used in short bursts such as in the bathroom or bedroom.
* Solid fuel heaters: They are both radiant and convection heaters burning fuels like briquettes, wood or coal. Airtight slow combustion heaters, boilers and furnaces, offer the highest efficiency.
Heatmasters Heating and Cooling charges affordable rates to install these systems based on the model you have. Any quote offered by heating companies in Chicago is usually comprised of materials and labor.
