The furnace is probably the single most popular home heating system available today. It’s not much of a surprise, considering how well furnaces can work. Their forced air heating distribution allows for the prompt warming of one’s living space, and furnaces are also reasonably affordable compared to alternatives like radiant heating systems.
That being said, using a forced-air heating system is not without its drawbacks. Read on to learn more about a few potential problems that you may encounter when using a forced-air heating system. Don’t let this information dissuade you from doing so, though. When you schedule your heating services in Raleigh, NC, with a member of our team, you’ll be able to avoid such problems.
Air Leaks
When talking about problems with forced air heating, we are usually talking about problems with the heat distribution system. This means the ductwork that your system uses to distribute heat throughout the house. If your air ducts are leaking, your heater is going to struggle to balance temperatures in your living space. It will have to work harder than it should to heat your home evenly, and that can leave you paying more than you should have to live comfortably. Having your ductwork professionally sealed can resolve this issue.
Air Quality
Another issue stemming partially from leaky ductwork is reduced indoor air quality. When your air ducts leak, it’s not just heated Air escaping the ductwork you have to worry about, but also the pollutants that can make their way into that ductwork. Once they do, they can be distributed throughout the entire household via the same air ducts that are supposed to be keeping it comfortable. Additionally, the heated air blowing out of your air ducts properly can stir up dust and dirt in the vicinity, sending these pollutants airborne and causing IAQ issues.
Heat Retention
While the problems mentioned above may be resolved with quality duct sealing services, there is one potential downside of using forced air heating that is grounded in science. Air simply does not retain heat as well as fluids, which is one reason why radiant heat distribution is favored by some. Air can cool off relatively quickly, and hot Air may also rise to the ceiling where you can’t feel its effects. At the very least, we recommend that you use ceiling fans on a winter setting to help keep heated Air where it will benefit you the most in any given room.
Let Ideal Services Heating & Cooling handle your heating services.