Choosing a hot water heating system
Whether you’re doing major renovations, changing residences or trying to reduce your electricity bills, it’s important to choose your heating system carefully. It really is possible to find an efficient system that offers maximum comfort at a reasonable price! But what criteria should you employ to ensure that you make the right choice?
Hot water heating: a system that meets your needs
Central hot water heating systems only appeared shortly after the thirties. That explains why most heating systems of this type are found in older homes, some nearly a hundred years old.
These days, few people are opting for hot water heating in their new homes, largely because of the elevated cost of this type of system. However, the latest models offer improved energy efficiency, upwards of 90 percent. Hot water heating systems offer numerous advantages that you’re going to love for years to come.
The benefits of a hot water heating system
Comfortable, economical and healthy (both for you and for the environment), hot water heating offers a stable temperature; the water circulating through the radiators and steel ducts never reaches the point where it will burn your fingers if you touch them (yet it remains hot for a long time!). Furthermore, since this type of heating doesn’t move the air like a forced-air system does, there are fewer particles, contaminants and other allergens circulating through the home.
For instance, cast-iron radiators diffuse part of their heat via convection (as well as radiation). As a result, they heat the objects in the room rather than the ambient air. The larger the radiator, the more radiant heat it will produce. Some people even compare the heat produced by these radiators to the warmth of sunlight!
Types of hot water heating systems and which one to choose
To circulate the water, there are two types of hot water systems: gravity-fed systems and forced circulation systems.
Gravity-fed systems
Without the need of a pump, these systems function because of the difference in density between the feed water and the return water. The water circulates naturally, and the heat is distributed uniformly throughout the home.
However, gravity-fed systems are gradually losing ground to forced circulation systems, as the former type offers lower energy efficiency because of the significant fluctuations in temperature that can lead to slow water circulation.
Forced circulation systems
This is currently the most commonly used type of hot water heating. Driven by a system of pumps, the circulated water can generate up to 1.5 MW of thermal power (for residential buildings).
Among the most popular forced hot water systems, you’ll find the closed loop system (low installation costs), single duct system, and two-pipe system (direct return or reverse return).
To stay warm this winter, seek the advice of a specialist!
Are you thinking about replacing your current heating equipment with a hot water heating system? Plomberie Roger Chayer inc. will give you all the valuable advice you need to make the best choice, given your particular situation!
References:
http://plus.lapresse.ca/screens/16853dba-1d32-406a-a8ed-8e3bdd478ff8__7C___0.html
https://www.ecohabitation.com/guides/2536/les-systemes-de-distribution-de-chaleur-a-eau-chaude/
