types-of-furnaces

15 Types of Furnaces For Your House

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Selecting the best type of home heating system requires careful thought. Most people will get the heating system installed by their contractor and leave it at that. This, however, is not the best way to go about your selection process. While you can always change your furnace if you decide to go in a different direction and choose a separate heating system, you may scrap it and start over if you get the wrong one at first. In this article, we will discuss 15 types of furnaces for houses.

1. Single-Stage Furnace

A single-stage furnace has two settings: on and off. When the furnace kicks on, it runs at capacity until the home reaches the desired temperature. Then it shuts off until the temperature drops low enough to trigger the system again. Although this setting is a cost-effective and straightforward way to keep your home warm, it’s not always the most efficient. Because there are no lower settings available, a single-stage furnace runs for long periods before shutting off.

This can make your house feel hot and stuffy when you’re home and make it difficult to control the temperature in certain rooms or on different levels of your home. If you tend to keep your thermostat set at the same temperature all year round and don’t mind a bit of inconsistency, then a single-stage furnace may be an option for you.

2. Two-Stage Furnace

A two-stage furnace is a type of forced-air gas furnace that has two different output settings, unlike a single-stage furnace. It can operate at either 65% or 100% of its capacity. The higher setting is used to bring a cold house up to temperature quickly, and the lower set is used to maintain it. This functionality allows for more precise temperature control than with a single-stage furnace, which runs at total capacity all the time.

A two-stage furnace is also quieter than a single-stage furnace. Most of the time, it uses the lower setting and only switches to high output when necessary to reach your pre-set temperature. It’s also more efficient since it uses less fuel than single-stage models to heat your home.

3. Variable Capacity System

If you’re looking for a furnace that can save you money on energy bills, the variable capacity system is a great option. The variable capacity system can adjust its heating output to meet your needs. This means it won’t keep running at total work when only a little extra heat is needed.

It can determine what your home needs based on the temperature outdoors, and it will adjust its output accordingly. This type of furnace is one of the most efficient options available and puts out some cleanest air possible.

4. Heat Pump Furnace

A heat pump furnace is a good choice if you live in a warm climate. It’s also a great choice if you tend to rely on your furnace during autumn and spring, when it may be cool enough to need some heating but not cold enough for a full-on blizzard. A heat pump furnace can handle the kind of weather that takes place between winter and summer, as well as the warmest parts of summer itself.

A heat pump furnace transfers heat from one place to another instead of generating it through combustion or electricity. Your heat pump will take in hot air from inside your home in summer mode and transfer it outside. In winter mode, though, it will work as an air conditioner: It will draw heat from the air outside and bring it into your home. 

5. Gas Furnaces

Gas furnaces are a great choice if you heat your home using natural gas. Natural gas is environmentally friendly, and it’s also cheap, which means you can rely on this fuel source to keep your home warm without breaking the bank. You can choose between a standard furnace (which burns fuel in a pilot light) or an electronic ignition furnace (which uses electricity to start up).

When choosing between these two options, consider whether you’d rather have a more expensive option that is less likely to fail or a cheaper option that might quit working if the power goes out. The type of gas furnace you choose will depend on your needs and budget. If you’re interested in saving money on energy bills but don’t mind spending more upfront costs for installation, then an electronic ignition furnace might be right for you. On the other hand, if you want a less expensive option that won’t break down in the event of a power outage, then go with standard furnaces.

6. Electric Furnaces

Electric furnaces are central heating systems that rely on electricity to heat the air in your home. The significant benefit of electric furnaces is that they’re relatively inexpensive and easy to install. However, their main drawback is that they’re among the least energy-efficient options available, and even though they may seem low-maintenance and cost-effective at first, their high electrical use means they’ll often cost significantly more to operate over their lifetime.

Electric furnaces are generally considered best for warmer regions where it doesn’t get freezing in the winter months or for homes or businesses with smaller square footage where monthly energy costs won’t skyrocket during the colder months.

7. Oil Furnaces

Oil furnaces are heaters that run on heating oil. They use a fuel burner to operate, and the heat produced by the furnace is generated from the flame created by the burner. Oil furnaces are either condensing or non-condensing. A non-condensing furnace does not allow water vapor from combustion to squeeze out the exhaust gases, whereas a condensing furnace allows this.

The efficiency rating of an oil furnace will determine its type of operation, with lower ratings requiring more fuel and therefore making it cheaper to run. In comparison, higher ratings require less power and cost more to run. The efficiency rating will also determine how much energy can be saved by condensing exhaust gases, so that heat can be recovered from these gases rather than being lost as waste heat up the chimney or vent pipe.

8. Propane Furnaces

Propane furnaces are a great option if you live in an area that does not get the typical extreme temperatures of other regions. Propane furnaces provide sufficient heat for homes in milder climates, especially when paired with other heating sources found on the property.

The most notable benefit of propane furnaces is their efficiency. There is minimal heat loss, meaning that the furnace uses less energy and keeps your home at a comfortable temperature without wasting any energy.

9. Coal Burning Furnace

Coal-burning furnaces are ideal for those who want to enjoy the benefits of the fuel without needing to handle it themselves. These furnaces use coal as their primary fuel source. Coal can be a cost-effective option for homeowners who wish to save money on heating costs, and many people like these furnaces because they are easier to maintain than other types of furnaces.

These furnaces work by burning coal and then releasing the heat produced into your home through a chimney or duct system. This type of heating system can be beneficial because it allows you to take advantage of the natural resources readily available in your area without having to handle and store the fuel yourself.

10. Geothermal Heat Pump Furnace

Geothermal Heat Pump furnaces take advantage of the ground being warmer than the air above it in winter. They circulate water through underground pipes, which transfer heat from the ground to your home. In summer, the process is reversed, and warm air is pumped out of your house and into the ground.

This type of heating system can be very efficient since it transfers heat rather than generating it, which means that they use less energy while still keeping your home at a comfortable temperature. However, these systems are typically more expensive than other heating systems, and they require a significant amount of electricity to run.

11. Air Source Heat Pump Furnace

Air source heat pump furnaces are powered by electricity, but not electric furnaces. These furnaces work by using the heat that exists in outdoor air to warm up your home. The heat exchange process is quite simple: a compressor circulates the refrigerant through copper coils. When the air passes over these coils, it draws heat out of the air and transfers it into your home’s ductwork or radiant system.

This type of furnace works best in areas where the climate doesn’t get too cold since it requires an external temperature of at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit to work efficiently. Because this type of furnace relies on conducting heat from outside air, it can be less effective than other options in some climates.

12. Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump Furnace

It can be economically efficient to install a ductless mini-split heat pump furnace in a single-room space. This system consists of two main parts: an outdoor compressor/condenser and an indoor air-handling unit. They are connected through a small hole in the wall, allowing refrigerant lines, a condensate drain, and power to pass between them.

The indoor unit blows treated air directly into the room or space that it’s installed in. Because of this, this kind of furnace is usually used to heat or cool single rooms or additions that don’t have any ductwork. A ductless mini-split heat pump furnace is typically more energy-efficient than traditional heating systems. If your home is heated with an electric furnace or baseboards, you’ll probably save money by switching to this type of system.

13. Solar Assisted Air Furnace

The Solar Assisted Air Furnace is a furnace that uses solar energy to heat your home. It is a hybrid system that also uses natural gas to make up for the times when there isn’t enough sunlight, such as on cloudy days or during the winter months.

This type of furnace is beneficial for homeowners looking for a way to reduce their carbon footprint and utility costs. Because it uses solar energy, the system is low maintenance, which is ideal for those who want the benefits of solar power without worrying about keeping it in good condition. The only thing you need to do is keep your panels clean and ensure they receive enough sunlight each day.

14. Hydronic Baseboard Furnace

Baseboard furnaces are also known as hydronic heaters. They operate by heating water that is pumped through pipes beneath the floor. These furnaces are very common in homes and do not take up any floor space.

The baseboard heaters can be installed beneath most floors to keep them out of sight but still provide adequate warmth during the winter. These furnaces are more energy-efficient than electric baseboard heaters because they use less electricity to warm a large area.

15. Thermodynamic Furnace

A thermodynamic furnace is a piece of equipment that uses a combination of heat and mechanical energy to convert fuel into usable heat. These furnaces transfer heat from one location to another, which can be used in many different industrial processes.

Thermodynamic furnaces are very useful in the chemical industry because they can generate high temperatures while consuming less fuel. With a thermodynamic furnace, you’ll get all the heat you need from the sun, and you won’t have to worry about using fossil fuels or other polluting sources of energy.

Wrapping Up

A house furnace is a necessary purchase. It provides a solid income stream during good and bad times by giving heat to households cold at the time. There are many types of furnaces for house use, typically categorized by fuel or conversion to heat. A lot of variables go into choosing which kind of furnace for the house is best for your situation.