Tips on Home Heating Options
Most homeowners do not have reason to know all about their heating system until they need a new one. The market is quite vast and some research is required. What’s important is understanding your needs before you install a new heater, whether for inside your home or to bring some head to a cold garage or side shed. Some of the same considerations are important regardless of your situation.
Make Safety Your First Choice
Above all, make sure you choose a safe indoor heating option, whether you are choosing a small indoor space heater, installing a baseboard heater to add a bit of extra warmth to a room, or undertaking installation of a heater in your garage. You want to consider factors such as efficiency and safety ratings; read the manuals carefully no matter how large or small your heating installation is. Doing so can make a difference, whether you save yourself the inconvenience of blowing a fuse or avoiding a catastrophe such as a house fire.
Research Market Choices
The market has options that range from baseboard heaters to electric wall heaters to fireplaces to powerful propane heaters for more industrial-style spaces such as garages and shops. Let’s review some of the options and types of heaters you have.
Repairs May Be an Option
First, you might consider fixing your current heater. This can be a somewhat intimidating option, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be. Sometimes, fixes are as easy as installing a new filter. Other times, you may need a new heating element. This is sometimes the problem when your furnace is blowing cold air and you have already explored options such as clearing the area around the element from debris. At this point, you need to determine whether replacing the heating element is worth the cost. It could simply be time to replace your entire heater. This same line of thought holds true regarding fixing the motor. Often, according to Total Home Supply, simply replacing the entire unit is the more cost-efficient solution.
Choose the Style That Fits
Most homeowners work with a provider such as Dimplex to be sure they have the right kind of residential heating system, based on whether they need heat in every room, or in a sunroom, bedroom, workroom, basement, garage or other space. Comfort and energy efficiency usually top the list of concerns when homeowners are thinking about home heating. Styles of systems include baseboard heaters, fan-forced heaters, convection heaters and a corresponding range of thermostats, switches and control panels.
Pricing depends on homeowners’ needs, and can usually be determined after a supplier receives corresponding home specifications. Many suppliers also provide tools for homeowners to plan and make appropriate choices, such as calculators for heat loss and operating costs.
Add Heat to Any Room
Some companies, such as Dayton, providing heating systems that work on a room-by-room basis, whether electric space heaters that are easy to move from room to room, or larger gas-fired and oil-fired heaters that are especially designed for open workspaces and garage applications. This is a good example of a brand that is well-established and that consumers regard well, no matter what size of heater is needed.
Other brands to look at for gas-fired or propane heaters include All-Pro and Dyna-Glo. Each of these manufacturers is skilled in providing safe, portable heat for large areas such as open garages or construction sites. They use propane gas efficiently and offer safety features such as automatic shut-off after a particular number of hours of use, along with adjustable heat settings and variable angles.
Enjoy Warm Wood Furnaces
A popular type of environmentally friendly heating option is an outdoor wood furnace, such as those made by Hardy. Such furnaces use wood and provide a lovely quality of heat without ashes, smoke or wood clutter in your home. They are energy efficient and can burn for up 10-15 hours, depending on your situation. Again, cost depends on your particular home situation.
Focus on Craftsmanship
Craftsmanship counts, even when it comes to heaters. Many homeowners are drawn to the well-known craftsmanship of the Amish combined with Heat Surge heating technology. Amish-crafted cabinets and mantles surround proven zone-heating fireplace options.
