Types of Home Heating Systems

To choose the right heating system for your home (and that best meets your needs), you must first understand the types of home heating systems that are available. What follows is a brief overview of some of the most common types.

Hydronic Heating System



Warm Air System

In a warm air system, air is used to conduct heat from the furnace to rooms in the house. Air is warmed as it passes over a heat exchanger, then blown through the house by a motorized blower. Sheet metal ducts channel the heated air to various areas of the house, and the heat enters each room through registers.

Electric Resistance System

With resistance heating, electricity heats the element, and this gives off heat to each room. However, resistance heating cannot actually be called a central heating system, since it is basically a series of room units.