What Is Forced Air Home Heating?

People throw around terms like geothermal, hot water heat, HVAC, forced hot air and ductless. But what does it all mean? In this blog, we’re going to break down an important one – forced air heating.

First, let’s break down the term HVAC, an acronym for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. Forced air home heating is a type of HVAC that relies on ductwork and vents to transport and disperse the heated air throughout the living space. These same ducts and vents are also used for the cooled air as well. It should also be mentioned that forced air is only referring to heat supplied by a furnace or heat pump when ducts are employed versus a hot water boiler or ductless mini-split system, neither of which needs ductwork to transport the heated air.

Is Forced Air Heating Good Or Bad?

Every heating option will have pros and cons, depending on several factors like layout, overall square footage, personal preference and of course the obvious in this case, whether or not ductwork is already present, if you’re retrofitting a new furnace into an existing space.

What Are The Advantages?

• Since forced air heating utilizes a furnace, natural gas is a fuel option. Natural gas is a clean burning fuel and affordable, so it’s an economical and energy efficient choice for home heating.
• Installation of forced air heating tends to be easier than some other options, making the upfront costs lower and the overall cost to install more affordable for many homeowners.
• If ductwork is already present in the home, retrofitting a new forced air furnace is typically a straightforward process.
• Since the heated air is transported throughout the home via the ductwork, heating the space can be accomplished pretty quickly.

How About The Disadvantages?

• If existing ductwork has leaks or cracks, they will need to be addressed to keep the system as efficient as possible.
• If ductwork is not readily available, it can be costly to fabricate and install, if it’s even possible for the space available.
• Indoor air quality challenges can occur with ductwork. Contaminants can enter the home where there are cracks or leaks. Masters Heating & Cooling has indoor air quality solutions available.

Forced air heating is definitely a viable option for home heating among others that Masters Heating & Cooling has available for our customers in Fort Wayne, Decatur and the Angola areas. Call our office to schedule one of our professional Comfort Specialists today.