How To Choose the Best Heater for Your Home

Pennsylvania winters are long and harsh. BVSM Heating & Air Conditioning understands that the right heater is the key to keeping you and your family cozy and comfortable. Maybe you’re asking yourself, “What is the most efficient way to heat my home?” or “What’s the best heating system for my house?”

These decisions can be overwhelming, but BVSM is here to help. Below, we outline what to consider when looking for a new heater and how to make the right choice for your home.

Features That Make a Heating System Efficient

The heat source of a home’s heating system is a major contributor to its energy efficiency. The main heating sources most modern-day heaters will have are:

• Heat pump
• Furnace
• Boiler

When looking for the most efficient heating system, you’ll also want to look at a unit’s AFUE (annual fuel utilization energy) rating to see how much fuel it uses. A 90% rating means it puts all but 10% of its energy to good use.

You’ll also want to consider the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating, which will tell you how efficient the unit’s energy use is. The higher the rating, the less impact it’s likely to have on your monthly bill.

Types of Heating Systems

Above, we mentioned the different options, but let’s look into those in a bit more depth. You can choose:

• Furnace: Furnaces use gas, oil, or electricity. Depending on your region, these can each have their benefits. Gas heaters use a plentiful resource, but it may be difficult to get deliveries in harsher months if you’re in a remote area. Oil heaters burn a fuel that’s usually sourced locally, so you’ll likely be supporting those in your community. Electric furnaces use electricity to heat the coils and warm your home. These produce little to no exhaust or carbon monoxide.
• Heat Pump: Air-source heat pumps pull the heat from the air by forcing coolant to change from a liquid to a gas and back again. During this exchange between an outdoor and indoor unit, heat is pulled from the air and expelled into the home when it becomes a liquid again. This also means the system can struggle to keep up in the colder months. Geothermal heat pumps pull their heat directly from the ground or water by having a series of pipes, called the loop, buried several feet underground. With the underground temperature generally staying between 45 to 60 degrees, you’ll have more reliable year-round heat sourcing, which generally pays for the initial cost of installation.
• Boiler: Though less common, boilers use a reliable source of heat which is to circulate boiled water through the pipes of your home. The radian heat release warms the space. Boilers are rated by the AFUE with high-efficiency models rated 90% or higher.  

3 Factors for Choosing a New Heating System

• Size of your home: The size of the space you’re trying to heat will impact the size of the unit you’ll need.

• Location of your home: Since Pennsylvania has a harsh climate in the winter months, you’ll want to look for models rated for the area.

• Age of your home: Depending on when your home was constructed, you may have additional factors such as older insulation or seals, which will make a higher energy efficiency rating even more crucial.

Rely on BVSM for Heating System Installation

With over 65 years of experience, a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and NATE-certified technicians, BVSM Heating and Air Conditioning is the name you can rely on in Pennsylvania. We are also proud members of the Beaver County Alliance for Consumer Protection.

For professional, reliable service, schedule heating system installation with BVSM today.