Are There Drawbacks to Choosing Forced Air Heating?

No heater is perfect, but focusing only on the benefits of a heating system can have and not the drawbacks isn’t a good way to help you make an informed decision. While forced air heating is still great and is used in many homes, there are some points to consider that may not make it the best heating choice for everyone.

The two primary issues with forced air heating to consider are air efficiency and air quality. Interestingly enough, these two issues aren’t necessarily the fault of the forced air heating system, but the ducts that run through your home. What happens is that air ducts can become breached over time. When this happens, outdoor air mixes with the treated air running through your ducts.

This outside air naturally cools the air being sent into your home, making it take much longer to heat you home over time. This requires your heating system to run longer and use a lot more energy doing it.

This same issue can also lead to a loss of air quality. The air is filtered before even entering the forced air system. It is filtered to protect the working parts, but it also has a great byproduct of improving your air quality. That improvement is definitely compromised when it mixes with outside air in the ducts. Furthermore, cold outside air mixing with warm treated air can create condensation in your ducts which can lead to mold growth. That mold is then blown directly into your home.

If you take care of your ducts, none of this will be an issue. However, the problems can also be completely avoided by choosing ductless systems as well. This may make choosing ductless for your next heating installation more preferable to you if you have aging ducts or don’t have ducts installed in your home as all.

If you are considering a new heating system that is different from the one you are replacing, we can help. Contact us today to see what Wayne Price Heating & Air Conditioning  can do to help.