Know that you do not have to use a forced air system when it comes to heating a home, since you actually have several options to pick from. While forced air heating is quite popular, radiant heat is a viable alternative. Here is how the two heating systems are different from each other.

Comfort

You'll find that radiant heat provides much more comfort than forced air heating. This is due to how the heat enters the room, which is through the floor. Heat will rise upward, so you'll feel it the most on your feet. The top of your body near your head is going to be cool and comfortable as well since the heat travels upward across the room.

Forced air heat comes from a vent, which means you are going to have hot and cold spots in a room. That forced air heat isn't going to reach under a desk, where it tends to be a bit colder than the rest of the room. In addition, vents near the top of the room are going to push the air towards the ceiling, rather than push it down towards your body. 

Energy Savings

Radiant heat that uses hot water pipes is a very efficient way to heat a home. This is due to how the hot water easily retains heat. The water is heated by a tankless water heater, and then the hot water sits under the floors. You still feel the heat even when the system is not generating new hot water.

Forced air heat is only going to feel hot when the system is running and the air is flowing through the vents. While your home will stay warm, the hot air is going to drop in temperature much faster than the hot water. This leads to more energy being spent to keep your home at a consistent temperature in the winter. 

Air Filtration And Movement

A radiant heat system is going to be better if you have people with allergies in your home because it does not push those allergens around when the system is running. This means you do not have to worry about breathing in more allergens in the air because it is constantly moving. This is the opposite of a forced air system, which is going to require that you change the air filters regularly due to it trapping dust in the air. Even if the air it produces is clean, the airflow helps circulate the dust in the room as the heating system is working. 

Reach out to a residential HVAC services contractor to learn more.

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