Pros And Cons Of Having A Hydronic Heating System Installed By A Heating And AC Repair Company | Frisco, TX
Have you ever walked into any home that has just the right temperatures but does not have any heat pump or vents in sight? You might have wondered how they have managed to retain such temperatures. The secret is that the homeowner might have installed a hydronic heating system. These heating systems are a perfect solution if you are looking for a highly energy-efficient unit.
Additionally, if you want a clean heating system, then you should have a heating and AC repair company install a hydronic system at your Frisco, TX, home. Like other heating systems, hydronic heating systems have their downsides and perks. Before looking at their pros and cons, let us first understand what a hydronic heating system is and how it operates.
What’s a Hydronic Heating System?
Also called a radiant heating system, this is a system that relies on water and other forms of liquids to heat your home properly. Hydronic systems comprise a heat source and a complex network of tubes that move the heated fluid to various parts of your home, heating it effectively during the cool season. The hydronic systems can be used as radiant wall heating systems, radiant floor heating systems, hydronic towel warmers, radiators, and hydronic baseboard heaters.
Larger homes or buildings could benefit from these systems by incorporating boilers. It is a method that could save many homes a considerable amount of money in heating energy utility bills. People living in areas with a shorter heating season can use this system on a smaller scale. However, there’s no denying that installing them in your home for winter heating has tangible benefits. Therefore, if you want a cheap mode of heating your home in a cold season, have a heating and AC repair company install a hydronic system at your home.
How Does a Hydronic Heating System Work?
Heat transfers happen in three main ways, radiation, conduction, and convection. The hydronic heating systems use radiation and conduction to ensure that your home is warm. First, the boiler will use conduction to heat the water as a heat transfer medium. Other liquids may be used. The liquid then passes through an intricate system of pipes, heating anything it comes into contact with through conduction. The liquid then reaches the wall heating panels, radiators, and other surfaces and uses radiation to heat your indoor space. However, you should always have a heating and AC repair company maintain your hydronic heating system for continued warming.
Perks of Hydronic Heating System
As aforementioned, hydronic heating systems are highly energy efficient. However, that is not all. These heating systems have many other benefits, including:
Create Separate Zones
By having a heating and AC repair company install a hydronic heating system at your Frisco, TX, home, you will enjoy the benefits of temperature zoning to improve your home’s comfort. For instance, instead of having only one thermostat for your entire home, you can have the technician install a dual-zone or smart thermostat to help you create temperature zones at your home. Zones are an excellent idea, especially if you have several rooms that are unused or live with a person with different temperature preferences.
Humidity Levels
Humidity control is another benefit of having a heating and AC repair company install a hydronic heating system at your home. The forced air systems can draw any moisture from the air when heating it, creating unbalanced humidity levels in your home. The hydronic heating systems do not dry out your home similarly to the other radiant heating systems because they use a closed system when heating your home. Since the hydronic heating systems do not affect indoor humidity like the other systems, a balanced moisture level is maintained. Hence, they help protect your skin, sinuses, and hair from drying out.
Warm Floors
Hydronic heating systems can also work as radiant flooring heating, ensuring your floors are warmer. Therefore, when you hire a heating and AC repair company to install a hydronic heating system, you’ll no longer fear getting out of bed during those cold mornings. The hydronic tubing can be laid under the slab or the flooring, making your floor act as a conductor to ensure you’re comfortable.
Quiet Operation
Unlike forced air heating systems, hydronic ones don’t displace air to warm your indoor settings. Therefore, you won’t have to hear those disturbing noises from the air flowing via the vents. Additionally, the worries of the furnace sound when the unit is firing up will be a thing of the past. If you love a quiet indoor space, having a heating and AC repair company in Frisco, TX, might be the best to install a hydronic heating system at your home. These systems remove all the air conditioning sounds produced by forced air systems.
No Ducts
Air ducts can occupy a sizeable amount of space on your ceilings and walls. Further, the air ducts can also be messy and expensive to install & maintain. Rather, a heating and AC repair company can install the tubes of a hydronic heating system behind the walls and even retrofit them under the flooring. These pipes can be routed around the pre-existing pipes. Hence, you will be left with enough space that you can install or fit other things and appliances. In forced-air systems, the air ducts produce sounds as they expand and contract during heating and cooling. Hydronic heating systems eliminate this problem.
No Pollen, Dust, or Allergens
Forced air systems operate by pushing air into your indoor space to ensure cooling or heating. Unfortunately, this has a catch. The pulled air often can bring in pollen, dust, pet dander, and other indoor air pollutants. If the air filter is clogged, these allergens can find their way into your home. To avoid this, homeowners are recommended to have routine air conditioning maintenance done by reliable heating and AC repair company. The service includes duct can filter cleaning or replacement of the filters. If left unserviced, the ducts and air filters could result in serious issues. Conversely, hydronic heating systems don’t rely on air ducts, are much cleaner, and do not displace the air.
Energy Efficiency
Compared to water, the air is not a great conductor of heat. It can easily lose heat energy as it moves through the air ducts or leaks out through gaps, resulting in heat loss. Liquids like water require less energy to heat because they absorb the heat better and retain it for longer. If you want an energy-efficient home heating system, have your trusted heating and AC repair company install a hydronic one at your home. These units are 25% more energy efficient compared to forced air systems.
Hydronic Systems Have a Longer Lifespan
The normal heating and air conditioning systems have lots of mechanical parts. It means they need frequent repairs because these moving parts wear out for reasons such as friction. Additionally, when one of the components fails, the entire unit might start malfunctioning, meaning no heating. On the other hand, hydronic systems don’t feature any mechanical parts. They also don’t need much maintenance and will likely last longer. Hence, if you want a heating system that will serve your home for a long time, reach out to your heating and AC repair company in Frisco, TX, about installing a hydronic heating system.
Even Heating
Air displacement is used in forced air heaters to keep your home warm. However, because these heating systems move air quickly, your home may experience uneven cooling or heating due to the resulting drafts and winds. Hydronic heating systems eliminate this problem by using radiation to heat your home instead of air. Hence, if you want your home heated evenly, have a heating and AC repair company install a hydronic system.
Drawbacks of Hydronic Heating Systems
Although they have many benefits, hydronic heating systems also have their shortcomings. This section will examine the cons of installing a hydronic heating system at your Frisco, TX, home.
Long Heating Time
As mentioned above, water absorbs heat at a better rate compared to air. However, the heated water must travel through the entire system to warm your home effectively. Such a process could take a long time, meaning you might have to wait longer for your home to cool. Hence, hydronic heating systems are only better suited for homes in moderate climate regions that require consistent temperatures. Otherwise, you can have a heating and AC repair company pair these units with other systems for effective heating of your home.
Space Requirements
When a heating and AC repair company sends a technician to install a hydronic baseboard system at your home, they’ll need additional space on the walls and make various changes that could interrupt your interiors. A system of pipes is also necessary for hydronic heating systems to distribute heat throughout your house. These pipes may occupy a substantial amount of room in your house. However, the required area is still far smaller than ducts require—only about half an inch. This might not be a problem when building a new home, but installing this system in an existing home might necessitate tearing out floors or walls.
Require Maintenance
Any closed-loop water heating system requires an expansion tank to ensure safety. A hydronic system isn’t exempt from this rule. For the tanks to work efficiently, you need to have a plumber or heating and AC repair company send a technician to drain them occasionally. Unfortunately, some homeowners having hydronic systems forget this crucial and only part of hydronic system maintenance. As a result, they experience different efficiency issues, prompting a deeper inspection of issues that could cost them a fortune in repairs. Hence, just as you would have a technician inspect and service forced-air heating systems, ensure that your hydronic system is regularly serviced.
Higher Upfront Installation Costs
A heating and AC repair company installing a hydronic heating system in an already constructed Frisco, TX, home could prove quite expensive. You will be forced to enlist experienced and professional builders, and you’ll have to access the floor joints. Alternatively, you might have to remove the drywall or flooring, install the system, and reinstall these structures. Hence, your home will be disrupted to the extent that you might have to leave for a while. Installing the system will be less expensive if you’re planning to renovate your property or are constructing a new one.
The Water Might Freeze In a Power Outage
The other issue with hydronic systems concerns water freezing after a power outage. If your area receives considerably low weather and ha occasionally prone to power outages, the water in a hydronic system might freeze. The ice might damage various components, especially if you’re away or don’t know it is happening. You can resolve this problem if a heating and AC repair company sends a technician to pair a mini-split at your home with a smart air conditioning controller. These controllers can prevent ice formation in the pipes when you’re on vacation.
Needs Planning Before Installation
Before you call a heating and AC repair company to install a hydronic system at your home, you should carefully plan to ensure it will work efficiently. For instance, when installing radiant wall heating, it’s crucial to keep the heating components near the ground where the people are. Since radiant heat warms only the items in the line of sight, if the heaters are placed too far up, the heat generated will be useless to the people inside the space.
Water is a great conductor of heat than air. Hence, hydronic systems heat your Frisco, TX, home at a lower cost in terms of energy than forced-air systems. There are many other benefits of having a heating and AC repair company install these systems. Contact us at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas if you need hydronic heating installation or maintenance service.