Comparing Custom Heating Systems

Every Home is Unique

When you think HVAC, you likely think of a traditional forced-air heating system, made up of a furnace, an air-conditioner and a separate hot water tank. While this system is still ideal in some settings, there are many other heating designs available today that may be better suited to your individual home and preferences.

So what makes a home unique? There are a number of factors that come into play when designing a heating system, including availability of natural gas, the size and type of windows used, the space available for routing ductwork, the overall heat loss and heat gain of the home, and most importantly, the homeowner’s preferences.

These preferences relate to:

• Efficiency of the system
• Lifespan of the equipment
• Environmental impact and emissions
• Fuel-source (electricity, gas, propane, solar)
• Noise level
• Total cost
• Redundancy (i.e. having back-up measures in place in case of unit failure)
• Appearance/design
• Type of heat transfer
• Separate units versus a single whole-home system
• Comfortability

Choosing the Right System for You

One of the most common questions we get asked by our builders and clients is: What is the difference between my options? And we get it! It’s complicated. This article is intended to provide a high-level comparison of our 3 most common systems for those who want to learn more about their options.

Traditional Forced Air System: Furnace

When we refer to a traditional forced air system, we are referring to a furnace and air conditioning unit, which provide heating and cooling to the home via a duct system. The hot water tank is a separate, individual unit.  

Pros

• Typically the least expensive option
• If one unit breaks down, the others are typically unaffected since they are individual units
• Lifespan is approximately 15 years with good maintenance*

Cons

• Air-to-air heat transfer is less efficient than water heat transfer
• A furnace is a gas-fired appliance which creates emissions and is not environmentally friendly
• No redundancy – if a unit breaks down, there is no back-up measure in place to keep the heat on
• Internal fan in the furnace can create noise, though the higher-end models are very quiet
• Condensing can cause water damage if not properly maintained

Who Should Install This System

This system is better suited to smaller homes with simple heating requirements. It is also ideal for those who are looking for a lower upfront cost in exchange for a slightly less efficient system with a very simplistic design.

Hydronic Heating System: Gas-Fired Boiler with Air Handlers

Hydronic heating refers to water (or liquid) heat transfer, whereby a boiler or other unit heats the liquid, which is then circulated through the home to provide heat. There are many different hydronic heating configurations. The first configuration we will look at is a gas-fired boiler with air handlers.

Pros

• Air handlers and boilers have a long life span of 20+ years with good maintenance*
• Water heat transfer is more efficient than air heat transfer
• A single hydronic system can be designed to power all aspects of your home’s heating, including space heating, cooling, and water heating, as well as optional features such as in-floor heating, snowmelt driveways and walkways, garage heat, and pool heat.
• You have the option to cascade boilers to provide ultimate redundancy, ensuring you will never go without heat if one unit fails.
• Our hydronic heating systems are designed to be showpieces. If the appearance of your mechanical room is important to you, hydronic is the way to go. Check out our gallery to see some of our recent designs.
• Floor warming, if added, heats the home more evenly than a traditional air system, which creates more comfortable living conditions.

Cons

• A boiler is a gas-fired appliance which creates emissions and is not environmentally friendly. Although electric boilers are an option, they are more expensive to run and the heat capacity is too low for a whole home, so we do not typically install them.
• There is often a slightly higher upfront cost for this system, due to its increased efficiency, longer lifespan, redundancy, aesthetic design and additional required parts and controls.

Who Should Install This System

We install hydronic systems most frequently in larger, custom-built homes. These homes often have plans for floor warming, snowmelt and/or pool heat, so tying the space heating into the hydronic system with air handlers makes sense. A hydronic system is also ideal for those who are willing to pay a little more upfront for an efficient, long-lasting system that will provide ultimate comfort, and for those who value its aesthetic appearance.

Hydronic Heating System: Geothermal or Air-Source Heat Pump with Air Handlers

A geothermal system utilizes naturally occurring elements to heat the home by using recycled energy from the earth (a geothermal heat pump) or from the air (an air-source heat pump) in tandem with electricity and refrigerant to generate heating and cooling. These heat pumps are extremely efficient, hovering around 300-400% efficiency, compared to modern condensing boilers which are between 95-98% efficient. The absence of gas, and therefore emissions, also makes it a very eco-friendly option. The price for these systems can be steeper upfront, but they can significantly reduce your monthly heating bill and will typically pay for themselves in savings in 10-15 years*.

Pros

• Extremely efficient
• Can significantly reduce monthly heating bill
• Does not require gas, and therefore produces no emissions, making it very eco-friendly
• Lifespan is approximately 20 years with good maintenance*
• Can be connected to a domestically produced solar energy source, meaning the cost to run the system would be further reduced
• A single geothermal system can be designed to power all aspects of your home’s heating, including space heating, cooling, and water heating, as well as optional features such as in-floor heating, garage heat and pool heat
• Back-up electrically-powered anode in the tank provides ultimate redundancy, ensuring you will never go without heat if the compressor fails
• Option to add additional back-up sources such as solar power, battery back-up, or a propane generator, which would protect against heat loss in the event of a power failure
• Our hydronic heating systems are designed to be showpieces. If the appearance of your mechanical room is important to you, hydronic is the way to go. Check out our gallery to see some of our recent designs

Cons

• Steeper upfront cost in exchange for monthly cost savings*, efficiency, eco-friendliness, redundancy and aesthetic design.
• The home should be well-insulated in order to ensure efficiency
• They are typically better suited to low temperature applications, and therefore may not be the best choice for outdoor snowmelt systems
• Heat pumps have a lower heat supply compared to boilers, so adding in-floor heating to the system is recommended in order to maintain the most comfortable living conditions while running the system as efficiently as possible

Who Should Install This System

This system is the perfect choice for those looking to build a net zero home or reduce their carbon footprint, and for those who are comfortable paying more upfront for the long-term monthly savings. In particular, they are ideal for homes with existing or planned floor warming in order to maximize efficiency. These are also a fantastic option for cottages and homes in rural areas where there is no access to natural gas. Propane can be very costly to run all winter, and a heat pump can drastically reduce that monthly heating bill and remove the need for regular propane deliveries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have a hydronic system for in-floor heating and a traditional forced air furnace and A/C system for space heating?

Yes! You can absolutely use two separate heating systems for two different uses. However, if you’re already planning to install a boiler with a full mechanical system for the in-floor heating, then it may make more sense to tie-in air handlers for space heating rather than installing furnaces. This way you only have one system to service and maintain, rather than having completely separate units and systems to worry about.

How is the geothermal/air-source heat pump system so much more efficient than the other options?

Geothermal systems extract energy from the ground (geothermal heat pump) or the air (air-source heat pump), which is then cycled through a compressor to create heat. By transferring heat rather than generating it, heat pumps require less energy than a boiler or a furnace to heat the same amount of space.

Which of these systems require ductwork?

As described here, all of these systems require ductwork to cycle warm and cool air throughout the home. However, if you are interested in limiting the amount of ductwork there are other options available, such as utilizing in-floor heating as a primary heat source. However, it is important to note that all homes need the ability to cycle air, so if you opt not to use a duct system, you will need to choose another method of cycling air, such as a ductless split. The design and the ability to do this will depend on a number of factors unique to the home. If you’d like to explore the option, send us a message and we can discuss the project to help you decide if it’s the best choice for you.

Have more questions? Give us a call or send us a message. We know that every project is unique and we’re happy to help you decide which system is best for you!

‍