Whether your home is heated by a forced-air furnace, an oil-fired gravity furnace, electric radiant heaters, a heat pump, or some other means, the key to affordable comfort is making sure that you have an efficient system that’s operating properly.
Inefficient heating systems—or improperly maintained equipment—can waste a tremendous amount of energy. This section of Home Tips will guide you through issues related to buying new heating equipment, installing certain types of appliances and materials that affect your home’s heating, repairing problems with furnaces, and basic maintenance.
In contemporary homes, ducted air systems are the most common type of central heating and cooling. There are two main types of ducted systems: forced-air and older gravity furnaces. Forced-air furnaces are by far the more common of the two.
Though both forced-air and gravity furnaces take advantage of ductwork to circulate room air through the heating system, forced-air furnaces have a blower to assist delivery. They can be combined with an air conditioner to deliver cooled air in the summer.