Get Ready for a Chilly Fall with These 5 Simple Heating Options!

Don’t get too caught up in the sweltering summer heat, or even in your tropical decorating scheme! We’ve got 5 types of heaters you should be installing now to beat the fall chill!

Simon Upton, Architectural Digest

Radiant Heat

Radiant heat produces a comfortable and even heat throughout the entire house, using water tubes underneath the floor or within ceiling panels. These systems are slow to heat up a room, but once it’s heated, it doesn’t take much to keep it warm. These are super efficient for many hours of use, although they need a separate cooling system installed which is one of its drawbacks.

Forced Hot Air

These are the staple heating system for many homes today. It works by heating air in a furnace and then forcing that air out into various rooms in a building through ductwork and vents. There are lots of companies that will install the whole system for you, so there is no DIY needed on your end. They aren’t the most energy-efficient but installing a newer system is much more efficient than an older one, and plus – they have air-conditioning!

Steam Heat

Steam heat was used in older homes, and it’s a unique way to heat a living space. Cast iron radiators provide the structure for water to flow through the heating element. While they can be efficient, they’re also difficult to plan around since they are massive.

Hydronic Heating Systems

Hydronic heat is also known as hot water or baseboard heating. Similar to radiant heat, this system uses a boiler to heat up water and then circulate the resulting hot water through tubes. Unlike radiant heat, these tubes are situated inside baseboard heating units that run along the baseboard in the home.

Geothermal

This is a newer technology that hasn’t quite made it mainstream, which consists of drilling wells deep into the Earth pumping heat from the ground into the home. These systems can also be used to effectively cool the home. In effect, the Earth is used to regulate the temperature of your dwelling.