Warm air Heating - How Efficient??

Canucklehead

Good morning: Warm air heating aka 'forced' air heating in Canada has 3 major benefits
1. Provides heat quickly, distributing warm air to all parts of your home
2. Can centrallly filter and humidify air when equipped with the right accessories
3. Can easily accommodate the installation of central air conditioning

The 3 points above are dependent on the standard of the initial installation, the air tightness of the property, the level of insulation and annual service checks.

Canada is a 'hot' spot for research into energy efficient heating. The NRC is currently examining the benefits of a hybrid system i.e. radiant and forced air
http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/ie/iaq/factsheet12_e.html
http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/ie/iaq/docs/factsheet12_e.pdf

Current research in Canada could have implications for new home construction in the UK..share and share alike !

HTH

Canucklehead

vansboy

Interesting the Canadian comments - it's a Canadian design, house, timber construction, with living accomodation upstairs, sleeping downstairs.

Looks like I'm being persuded to stick with it, so far - see what the surveyor thinks, next week!

Thanks all - any other input welcome!

VB

gasmanmartin

some people love it, some hate it. If you were brought up with it or have had it for a while then you could (maybe) get used to it
Personally i hate it. In my experience they are quite reliable but as most are open flued they are more dangerous if not serviced or do not have the correct ventillation

Anyone with an open flued warm air heater must invest in a carbon monoxide detector, i very strongly recommend it!!

And if you want to change your heating system or if your boiler is condemed as no parts available you will probably most likely have to change it for a condensing boiler. Personally i wouldn't leave it until it chucks it in the middle of winter.

But just my opinion :rolleyes:

grownupgirly

I have lived in my 2 storey maisonette for the past 3 and a half years with a warm air unit and I dont mind it at all. As others have said, it does warm the place up very fast. Mine is gas fired. The gas bills are VERY cheap! (in fact, Scottish Power were shocked when I gave them my readings!). Mine was serviced in Jan this year with no probs. About 3 years ago I had to invest in a new part for it, but thats been all so far. And yes, my plumber was able to source the part!

Grownupgirly

robwend

ripp it out:D. i had it here. horrible thing. was cold upstairs at night. it smelt. the dust, dry air, very bad if you have alergys ,and i had a top of the range one as well. get rads you cant fault em

ormus

warm air system is very ineffecient. replace it with a closed water circuit system, preferably gas.
not too sure if you can still use the same boiler?

EliteHeat

ormus wrote: »

warm air system is very ineffecient. replace it with a closed water circuit system, preferably gas.
not too sure if you can still use the same boiler?

No you can't - it's not a boiler - nothing to boil

vansboy

EliteHeat wrote: »

No you can't - it's not a boiler - nothing to boil

Never thought of that!

Does this mean the water is just heated with the imersion heater??

It's oil, as there is no gas in the village!

VB

EliteHeat

vansboy wrote: »

Never thought of that!

Does this mean the water is just heated with the imersion heater??

It's oil, as there is no gas in the village!

VB

Some of the gas models have two burners - one for the warm air and a tiddly one for the hot water. I have no idea about the oil burners though - never seen one.

grownupgirly

i would imagine that the water is heated by an immersion heater, as mine is. However, I wouldnt know about oil fired ones. That is one drawback, having a separate boiler just for hot water in the house, but, having the immersion heater on constantly (and therefore constant hot water) has worked out more cost effective than turning it on only when needed.