Forced air heating or furnace refers to a system that heats a home by drawing air through ductwork, forcing it through a filter and furnace (or boiler or heat pump air handler), and then recirculating the air back into the home’s rooms through different ducts. While the terms forced air and central air are often used interchangeably, central air generally refers to cooling, and may or may not be included in a forced air heating system.
Pros of Forced Air Heating Systems
Forced air heating is the most popular heating option in North America for a number of reasons. One primary reason is because of ease of installation. Since ductwork is already included in a forced air system, adding central air is a simple matter without having to installing additional ducts or vents.
Another reason for the popularity of forced air heating is how quickly it heats up an entire home. If designed properly, a forced air furnace can provide even heating to rooms, no matter how far away they are from the central heating equipment. This is especially the case if a zoning system is part of the forced air heating setup.
Modern forced air heating systems are also relatively energy efficient, with condensing furnaces achieving nearly 100 percent efficiency. This means that nearly all of the fuel that goes into the furnace gets converted into heat.
Another huge pro for forced air heating is that not only is the air filtered, but it can be combined with a humidifier or other component for improved indoor air quality. This is especially important for people with respiratory or other health concerns.
Most forced air furnaces use natural gas as their fuel, and are tied directly into the gas lines running outside your home. As a result of ramped-up domestic natural gas production, this fuel source is exceedingly cheap these days in most parts of the country.
Contact us
For more expert advice about forced air systems, please contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services, Inc. We’ve been serving the people of the Dayton and Springfield areas since 1978 with their heating and home comfort needs.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
