Ducted Forced Air
The most common style of system within city limits is ducted systems. This style of heating utilizes tin ducted systems to distribute heat throughout your home. If you already have ductwork in the home, chances are you will continue to use a ducted system. All of the above fuel sources can tie into a ductwork infrastructure. Natural gas furnaces are the most common piece of equipment that tie into the ductwork. You can also have furnaces attached to ductwork that use propane, oil, electricity or wood. Furthermore, you can have heat pump systems such as air to air, geothermal or air to water heat pumps that integrate with your homes ductwork.
Ductless Forced Air
Ductless air conditioners and heat pumps are becoming extremely popular in the Ottawa area. These systems do not require any ductwork and are very customizable to install. These ductless heat pumps are some of the most efficient equipment on the market, making them highly sought after and eligible for rebates. You can use these systems as a supplement to your current heating system or as the primary heating source for your home. If you have ductless heat pumps as the primary heat, it is advisable to have a backup heat for the very cold days. Ductless heat pumps use only electricity to move heat and are very environmentally friendly.
Radiant Heat
Radiant heat is a style of heat distribution that utilizes radiators or in floor tubing. This option is popular for older homes and newer homes that are looking to avoid bulkheads or ductless indoor heads. Many people appreciate the aesthetics of infloor radiant heat as it is invisible except for thermostats. Radiant heat is generated by boilers that can be fueled by any of the sources we discussed earlier. Hybrid boiler systems are becoming popular as well. We will install a boiler that feeds infloor heat in a basement but also feeds an air handler. This means we can utilize heat pump technology in the air handler while using radiant heat in other areas of the home. Boiler and rad technology has come a long way and we can now heat old homes quite efficiently without redesigning the infrastructure of heritage homes.