What are the Different Types of Electric Heating?

Storage heaters have been around for decades and were designed as a more cost-effective heating solution for those on cheaper night-time energy tariffs such as Economy 7. They spend all night charging and storing up heat in thermal retentive bricks, to then release that heat slowly throughout the day. The problem is, if you work away from home during the day, you’re unlikely to benefit from the warmth produced by these heaters and many older models also tend to run out of heat by the evening, leaving you in the cold just when you’re settling down to relax. This is why storage heaters don’t necessarily work well for everyone and should only be considered if you are on the right energy tariff.

When temperatures drop, it’s easy to find yourself cranking up the thermostat to keep your home warm. Choosing the right type of home heating system can ease the burden of your thermostat and help save energy. All heating systems share one goal: Transfer heat to living spaces to maintain a comfortable and toasty environment.

Some homes have more than one heating system, particularly when they have a basement or an additional room heated by a different system than the rest of the house. Here are the 10 types of home heating systems that you should know as a homeowner (or prospective homeowner).

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1. Furnace

Forced air distribution systems are by far the most common type of home heating systems. They use a furnace with a blower fan that delivers heated, conditioned air to the house’s various rooms through a network of ducts. Because forced air systems share the same blower and ductwork as the air conditioner, they can also be used during the summer months.

• Fuel source: Natural gas, propane, oil or electricity
• Advantage: Forced air furnaces combined cooling and heating capabilities in one system
• Disadvantage: Gas furnaces can pose risks for fires, explosions or carbon monoxide poisoning

2. Boiler

Older homes and apartments may have traditional boilers and radiator systems. These use a central boiler that circulates steam or water through pipes to radiator units around the house. This is best for providing zoned heating and cooling, but it isn’t as efficient for heating more spacious areas of the house at once.

• Fuel source: Natural gas, propane, fuel oil, biodiesel blends or electricity
• Advantage: Provide comfortable heat that doesn’t dry out the air like other heating systems
• Disadvantage: Boiler systems cannot be combined with air conditioning for a year-round HVAC system

3. Heat Pump

Heat pumps are the newest home heating system technology. They use a system similar to an air conditioner by extracting heat from the air and delivering it to the home through an indoor air handler. A popular heat pump system is known as the mini-split or ductless heating system.

This system uses a small outdoor compressor unit and indoor air handlers that can be placed in different rooms throughout the house. They can be a flexible addition since they can be switched to air conditioning mode during the summer months.

• Fuel source: Electricity or natural gas
• Advantage: No ductwork is required and wall units allow for precise control of each room’s temperature
• Disadvantage: Not efficient in frigid climates

4. In-Floor Radiant

Radiant systems provide even heat throughout the house. Most in-floor radiant systems use plastic water tubing inside concrete slab floors or attached to the bottom of wood floors. They are very quiet compared to other home heating systems. There are also in-floor radiant heating systems that use electrical wiring to work with ceramic or stone tile materials.

While they are slow to heat up and adjust to temperature changes, in-floor radiant systems are energy efficient and provide heated comfort to every inch of the house.

• Fuel sources: Natural gas, propane, electricity or solar hot water systems
• Advantage: Radiant systems provide steady, even and comfortable heat across the entire home
• Disadvantage: If maintenance problems emerge, it’s difficult to access the hidden piping system and it might require tearing down flooring

5. Electric Resistance

Electric resistance heating systems or electric heaters are not used as the primary home heating system due to the high cost of electricity. However, they are a good supplemental heating system for home offices, basements, season rooms and homes without other heating systems.

Electric heaters are easy to install and relatively inexpensive. They’re usually portable, making them easy to transport from room to room. They also don’t have any moving parts, requiring virtually no maintenance, ductwork, air handlers or any other equipment.

• Fuel source: Electricity
• Advantage: Electric resistance systems are incredibly versatile and can be installed almost anywhere
• Disadvantage: They use a lot of electricity and can significantly increase energy bills

6. Baseboard Heater

Hot water baseboard heater systems, also known as hydronic systems, are a modern form of radiant heat that can be highly efficient. Using a central boiler, these systems heat water that circulates through a system of water pipes to low-profile baseboard heating units. These are updated versions of the traditional upright radiator system. They help heated air rise from the baseboard unit while pushing cold air toward the unit for heating.

• Fuel source: Natural gas, propane, fuel oil or electricity
• Advantage: Hydronic systems offer precise temperature control mechanisms
• Disadvantage: Boiler and hot water systems cannot be combined with air conditioning systems

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7. Electric Space Heater

Also known as portable or plug-in space heaters, electric heaters can be affordable for homeowners who don’t live in cold weather. These are excellent temporary solutions that can provide targeted and controlled heat within minutes of being plugged into an electricity source.

Electric space heaters are oil-filled and convert electric current directly into heat, similarly to how a toaster works. Some modern electric space heaters also have cooling fans that can be used during warmer days, making them an excellent choice for studio apartments, home offices, basements and smaller rooms.

• Fuel source: Electricity
• Advantage: These heater systems can offer an instant heat source
• Disadvantage: Their systems won’t heat an entire room or house

8. Active Solar Heating

A more modern home heating system, active solar heating, uses solar energy to heat a fluid and transfers solar heat directly into the interior space or a storage system for later use. These are usually supplemented by radiant heating systems, boilers or heat pumps. But active solar heating systems can distribute the heat using the radiant floor, hot water baseboards or a central forced-air system.

Unfortunately, active solar systems still rely on other home heating systems to be 100% efficient.

• Fuel source: Solar energy
• Advantage: A more environmentally-friendly approach to heating a house
• Disadvantage: Active solar systems still rely on traditional heating systems to operate

9. Hybrid Heating

Hybrid heating home systems combine the energy efficiency of a heat pump system with the power of a gas furnace. Most of the time, the heat pump operates at total capacity to heat the home. Then, during extreme weather conditions, the furnace will complement the system to reach the desired temperatures.

Because both systems complement each other, there is significantly less strain on each system, which means less repairs and replacements.

• Fuel source: Natural gas and electricity
• Advantage: Hybrid systems offer a complete heating solution that works at extreme temperatures
• Disadvantage: The heat pump system will require regular maintenance and a service check every other year

10. Gravity Air Furnace

A modern version of the traditional furnace heating system, gravity air furnaces distribute air through ducts. However, rather than forcing air through a blower, gravity air furnace systems let warm air rise and cool air sink. A furnace in the basement heats the air, which rises into the rooms through the doors, and cool air returns to the furnace via another system of cold-air return ducts.

• Fuel source: Natural gas, propane, oil or electricity
• Advantage: This system has virtually no moving parts, so it requires little maintenance
• Disadvantage: It takes time for the temperature to adjust because the system operates on simple convection currents

Bottom Line

Understanding the many types of home heating systems will allow you to make the best decisions about how to heat your home, or decide which system you’d prefer when searching for a home. Knowing which system works best for you could help you save time and money down the road.

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THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND NOT EDITORIAL CONTENT. Please note that we do receive compensation for any products you buy or sign up to via this advertisement, and that compensation impacts the ranking and placement of any offers listed herein. We do not present information about every offer available. The information and savings numbers depicted above are for demonstration purposes only, and your results may vary.

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