Heating and Cooling systems

The heating and cooling system is the heart of the house. When buying a house, at least you need to know:

- what kind of heating and cooling system is in place?

- what condition it is now?

- how much does it cost to operate?

Heating system types:

The most common heating systems include:

1) Forced Warm Air (FWA)

This is the most common type of the heating system. A furnace heats air, and a blower sends the hot air through the house. Return vents and pipes bring the cool air back to the furnace to be heated. Furnaces have a capacity rated in BTU's, which are simply British Thermal Units. The number of BTU's given represents the furnace's heat output from either gas, oil or electric firing.

2) Steam heating system

This kind of system usually found in older homes. A furnace heats water until steam forms. The steam circulates through pipes into radiators in the rooms. As steam cools, it turns back into water, which then returns to the furnace.

3) Hot water heating

This system works like a steam heat, but instead of circulating steam, it circulates hot water that heats the rooms.

4) Baseboard / electric heating

This system uses heating elements placed along the baseboards of walls.

5) Radiant heating system

This type of system uses pipes built into the floor and/or walls to heat the rooms.