There are many types of heating systems in Acworth NH, but one of the most common you will hear about is forced air heating. You likely already have a forced air heating system in your home, but what exactly does this mean and what impact will it have on your selection of a new heating system in the future?

To start, a forced air heating system is unique in that it does not directly heat your home. Instead, the heating system itself – either a heat pump or a furnace – produces heat which is then applied to an air supply and distributed throughout your home via air ducts by an air handler.

So, let’s say you have a gas furnace. When your thermostat turns on because it gets below a certain temperature inside your home, the gas furnace receives a signal to start burning fuel. The pilot light ignites and gas starts burning. As the fuel burns, the furnace blows air through a heat exchanger. That air is then heated to a certain temperature (depending on your furnace) and transferred to the air handler, which uses another fan to blow the air through ductwork to the individual rooms in your home.

So, the air is forced through ductwork and then through vents to heat your home – hence a forced air heating system. The same type of system operates when you have a heat pump, although the heat being applied to the air flow is not from the combustion of fuel but from the process of compressing and expanding the refrigerant gas inside the heat pump, effectively transferring heat energy from outdoor air.

Over the years, forced air heating has become one of the most efficient ways to heat a home, though radiant heating is a close second. If you are installing a new heating system in your Acworth NH home for the first time, consider the benefits of a forced air system and what they could mean for your heating bills.  For more information about installing a new heating equipment, including furnaces, boilers, and wood stoves, call HB Energy Solutions!