What Is Forced Air Heating? - It's Your Heating and Cooling Guy

What Is Forced Air Heating?

In Port Huron, there are 133.4 days each year when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing. To stay warm during the colder months, it’s important that you have a great heating system in place. 

A forced air heating system is one of the best options you can choose from when heating your home and offers some advantages over other types. A forced air heating system will be more efficient and reliable and can also be cost-effective as well.

So what is a forced air heat system? In this guide, we’ll tell you more about forced air heating and will help you decide whether it’s right for your home. 

What Is Forced Air Heat?

A forced air heating system is a common type of home heating system that utilizes vents and ductwork to push heated air through a home.

A forced air heating system can provide heat to an entire home and you can control it with a thermostat. There are various types of systems that can be considered forced air systems.

A forced air system is defined as any system that delivers heating to a home or building with the help of ducts and vents and a furnace or an electric heat pump. These ducts and vents are also used by the cooling system in addition to the heating system. 

There are some distinct advantages to using forced air heating in a home which we’ll discuss in further detail below.

Forced Air vs. Central Heating

Central heating and forced air heating are essentially the same and you can use the terms interchangeably. However, there are some small differences to be aware of.

In both types of systems, heated air comes from a centralized location before moving around a home or building. However, forced air heating can only refer to the use of a furnace or a heat pump that features air ducts. Central heating can refer to either of these sources of heat or to a boiler system.

How Is a Forced Air Heating System Used?

You can operate a forced air heating system with the help of a thermostat. With the thermostat, you can turn the unit on and set the desired temperature.

After the system starts, the furnace generates heat which then begins moving through ducts and out of registers. Registers can usually be adjusted to determine the direction and the amount of air that flows through the house.

Once it reaches the correct temperature, the gas or electricity stops generating heat for the system.

Benefits of Forced Air Heating System

There are several significant benefits of a forced air furnace system. Here’s what you should know about.

It’s Efficient

One of the benefits of forced air heating systems is that they are incredibly efficient. These furnaces have high Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) ratings, meaning that they will remain efficient at heating a home as time goes by.

The AFUE rating shows how much heat will be needed to heat your home adequately. A higher rating means that you’ll save money on your utility costs each month.

It’s Fast

A forced-air heating system will move air more quickly and efficiently than other types of heating. The air will be heated directly and then will be transferred throughout the home at a fast pace.

The process is almost instantaneous and is much faster than other types of systems such as those in which water will need to be heated up before moving around the home.

It Can Be Used With Air Purification

One benefit of a forced air furnace is that it may help to maintain better indoor air quality. With these systems, you can easily install an air purification system or humidifier to distribute purified air around your home easily.

This can be much more convenient than trying to improve the air quality in your home room by room. 

Installation Is Easy

Because forced air heating can share the ductwork that already exists for air conditioning in your home, it can be easy to get forced air heating installed and up and running.

This means that compared to other types of systems, you may need to do much less work to start using a forced air system.

It’s Cost-Effective

Although forced air furnaces can be more expensive initially than other types of heating systems, they make up for it by requiring less maintenance. Replacements and repairs are often easier and can be done for a lower cost.

Forced air furnaces are particularly reliable and tend to last a long time, making them good long-term investments overall.

It’s Reliable

Compared to other types of heating systems that use heat pumps or electricity, forced air heating systems are less likely to break down.

These systems have fewer working parts and have durable ducts. This means that it’s more likely that these heating systems will have great longevity. 

Downsides to Forced Air Heating

Although forced air heating systems offer a lot of distinct advantages, they have their negatives as well. Here’s what you should know.

Inconsistency

One potential issue is that they could have some inconsistency when heating your home. Since the ductwork system will send the same amount of air into each room, the heating may not be the same throughout.

If your ductwork isn’t installed well and designed perfectly, it could lead to decreased efficiency and performance.

Potentially Poor Air Quality

Another problem is that a forced air system could lead to poor air quality. While an air purification system can help to improve the air in your home, without it, pollutants could spread around your home more easily.

The system can stir up the air and the overall indoor air quality may suffer as a result.

Installing a Forced Air Heating System in Your Home

If you’re looking for the best way to heat your home, you may want to consider installing a forced-air heating system. A forced air heating system can be a good choice for your home because of its efficiency, speed, cost-effectiveness, and ease of installation.

Ready to install a reliable heating system in your home? Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you.