Many use combustion appliances, such as gas furnaces, to heat their homes. However, you can also use electricity to heat your home. Below are some forms of electric heating systems to consider.
Electric Furnaces
A furnace works by heating air and circulating it throughout the house. An electric furnace has heating elements (high-resistance electrical conductors) that generate heat when electrical current passes through them. The heat heats the surrounding air, which the blower sends into the ductwork to warm the house.
Radiant Heaters
Radiant heating systems comprise heating elements like electric cables or panels. Installers can place the heating elements under the floor, above the ceiling, or behind the walls. Electricity can heat the heating elements directly or heat water and pass it along to the heating elements.
The heating elements heat the objects, such as flooring or wall materials it meets. The objects then heat the air in their vicinity, warming the house. An electric boiler, which heats water and circulates it through a closed-loop system, is an example of a radiant heating system.
Baseboard Heaters
Baseboard heaters work like radiant heating, except the former uses convection rather than radiation to warm your house. A baseboard heating system comprises heating elements in a metal housing. The heating elements have fins that maximize the air volume in contact with the heating elements. The heated air then rises and warms the rest of the house.
Space Heaters
Space heaters are portable heating appliances that heat a single area, such as a bedroom. Space heaters, which also use heating elements, are available in different varieties. An example is a space heater that heats and circulates the air via fan rotation. Another example is an oil-filled space heater that heats and circulates the oil in the heart to warm the room.
Electric Fireplaces
Lastly, you can also use an electric fireplace to heat your house. However, you should know that an electric fireplace is more of a supplemental heating system. Most of these systems do not generate enough heat to warm a room or house.
An electric fireplace consists of heating elements and fans. The heating elements convert electricity to heat that heats the air in the fireplace. The fan blows the heated air out of the fireplace into the room, allowing fresh air into the fireplace for further heating.
Talk to a heating contractor to help you evaluate different heating systems. The contractor can then design and install the best system for your circumstances.
For more info, contact a local company like Allied Mechanical & Electrical, Inc.
Share17 March 2023
While sitting in my living room on a hot summer day, I could feel the heat coming through the ceiling out of my attic and making the house warm up more than it should. I crawled up into the attic one evening to find out that the roof vents weren't working any longer because they were clogged with all sorts of debris. Did you know that when this happens, your home's temperature can rise to very uncomfortable levels? Did you know that your home could actually be damaged if the attic isn't well vented? This blog will show you all about attic ventilation.