What Type of Heating Is the Most Efficient?

When searching for a new appliance for your home, there are probably several different things you’ll be looking at. Price is probably the biggest one, but you’ll also want to know what features something has, how reliable it is, and whether or not it can be serviced in the future. However, for those looking for a new heating system, there is something that you’ll probably consider almost as much as anything else, and that’s energy efficiency. Half of the energy a home consumes every year is dedicated to heating and cooling, and that means small changes and savings can have a big impact on your life in this system.

However, with so many different types of heating on the market today, sorting through the chaos and the marketing can seem like an impossible task. How do you know what type of heating is the most efficient if that’s what they all claim to be? This blog will help take some of the mystery out of buying your next heater: here are a few tips about what type of heating is the most energy efficient.

Electric Furnaces

Electric furnaces are perhaps the oldest technology on this list, and likewise probably the least efficient. These systems work by running current through a resistor, which in turn becomes hot because of the current. That heat is then radiated out into your home or business, heating the air and keeping you comfortable.

There are some upsides to this type of heating equipment: they are often small, and can be easily installed in virtually every room in your home. Likewise, they have no moving parts, and that means they can often last for two decades or more with minimal issues and maintenance. However, they will give you some fairly high energy bills, particularly due to how much power they use to only heat a small space. If you still have these systems in your home, you might want to consider changing over to a more modern heating solution.

Gas Furnaces

Throughout history, man has built a fire to keep himself warm. Eventually, we started putting fires inside our homes, creating a hole to allow the smoke to escape. A gas furnace is the latest iteration of this type of heating technology: instead of burning wood or coal, these systems burn natural gas, which is far cleaner and more energy-packed than other fuel sources. Likewise, these furnaces also allow us to distribute the warmth throughout our homes using blower fans for increased efficiency.

Gas furnaces are pretty efficient when it comes to how much heat they can produce for the fuel you consume. It’s tough to make a direct comparison to electric-based heating systems, as gas and electricity are different utilities, and likewise have different prices. However, in most places at least, gas tends to be cheaper than electricity, and that makes these types of furnaces a pretty good option for those who want consistent and reliable heating on a budget. These systems do require maintenance, however, and they will need to be replaced after around 15 to 20 years or so.

Electric Heat Pumps

Electric heat pumps are the “cutting edge” of heating technology. When it comes to eco-friendly technology, there really is no other choice—these systems don’t actually produce heat at all, but rather capture heat energy from the air outside, condense it, and use it to warm the air inside. In essence, they are sort of like a “reverse air conditioner” that heats your home up instead of cooling it off.

Electric heat pumps are by far the superior option to electric furnaces—there really is no comparison. These systems keep your home warmer while using less energy, and heat your home far faster as well. However, they are the most expensive of the three options we have discussed so far. But there is another perk to these systems as well: they are entirely emissions-free. Because they only use electricity to run motors, compressors, and other key components, they are devoid of any carbon footprint.

Boilers & Hydronic Heating

Boilers and water-based heating systems are a bit of a different breed from the other types of heating on this list. Some homes and businesses in the area have boilers, but it’s not that common. Hydronic heating uses a heating element (either gas or electric) to quickly heat water. The heated water is sent around your property through a series of pipelines, where a radiator allows the water to expel the heat into the rooms where it is needed. This type of heating is fast, efficient, and generally extremely quiet. However, the cost of installing these systems is considerably higher than others, and often requires serious work to retrofit. However, if you’re looking for a heating system for your new home or property, we recommend looking into this type of heating. These systems are durable, effective, and extremely efficient as well.