Hydronic Heating vs Forced Air Heat

When heating your home, there are many solutions to consider, including hydronic heating and forced air. It can become confusing to decide with pros and cons of both systems. The important thing is that you weigh these options very carefully so you can decide which system is best for you.

1. The Comfort Factor

The comfort of your heating system plays a major factor in your decision of which system you should choose. Many people feel that hydronic heating is more comfortable than forced air heating. The heat produced by hydronic heating systems is a more even heat. Forced air heating literally pushes hot air through the vents which do not create an even heat.

2. Expense of the Heating System

Adding or renovating a heating system is no easy task and it can cost a lot of money. The cost of a heating system is typically determined by the size of the area you want to heat. Forced air heating is cheaper than hydronic heating because it can operate on one unit with multiple heads. The system is connected by aluminum duct work which is usually already installed in the home. It represents the standard way a home is heated.

3. Heat Transportation

Transportation of the heat is a major concern when deciding on a heating system. Forced air heating systems use a spider web of aluminum duct work with the hot air being pushed through floor vents. Hydronic heating uses hot water that is pushed through PEX hose located under the floor. This creates an even and constant heat from the entire square footage of the floor. This means the entire room is heated at the same time while forced air heating systems shove the air across the floor, which will result in cold spots and drafts.

4. Many Options

Hydronic heating is an easy choice because it uses only one thing to heat the home: water. The PEX hose is connected to the hot water boiler. The hot water flows through the PEX hose and heats the room as it returns back to the boiler. This causes no loss of heat or water. Forced air heating systems can use the water from the boiler to create hot air but usually uses other means in which to throw heat. A forced air heating system will usually use electricity to heat the air, gas, or oil.

5. Going Green

Hydronic heating is a green way of heating your home. The water is recycled through the line. Forced air heating systems will use other resources to create heat. This causes a waste of the natural resources.