The Ins and Outs of Replacing Your Oil Heat System

Posted by admin on July 31, 2009 at 5:52 pm

(image: cunnanegroup.com)

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Whether you’re stepping into your new home for the first time or you want to further invest in your household of many years, the decision to purchase a new heating system could very well be right around the corner. There are many reasons why someone might consider a heating system replacement: breakdowns, repair bills, age, and finances to name a few. But whatever the reasons might be, pursuing a new system is a serious and important jump that needs careful consideration. By following this guide, you’ll learn the need-to-know basics of heating system replacement.

The Three Oil Heating Systems

It’s important to first know the specific type of heating system your home relies on. There are three kinds that are provided from the use of no. 2 fuel oil: hot air, steam, and hot water.

A hot air system heats air in a furnace and then circulates it through a system of ducts, eventually blowing it through vents, which provides warmth throughout the house. These systems are becoming less and less common, but older homes use them in conjunction with humidifiers to add moisture to combat the dry air produced by the furnace.

A steam system works a lot like a hot air system, but heats and evaporates water instead of heating air. Once the water is evaporated, the heated steam rises through piping and fills the home’s radiators, providing warmth. Steam, though more common than hot air systems, is still a relatively old heating method and is found primarily in older homes.

Hot water systems are the most contemporary trend of oil heating in newly built houses; it’s also reported to be the most comfortable. Instead of being turned into steam, water is simply heated to high temperatures by a boiler and circulated through piping into radiators throughout a house, eventually returning to the boiler. One advantage of hot water systems is the ability to heat different areas of a home at different temperatures, which is called “zoning.”

For more information on how different heating systems work, see the heatingoil.com article, “How Oil Heating Systems Work.”