The primary heating system in Canadian homes is forced air heating with 53% using this system. The next most often used system is electric baseboard heaters at 29% Then a small percentage of households use a heating stove, electric radiant heating, heat pump, or boiler with a hot water or steam radiator. 

If your system currently uses a system other than forced air, then it’s time to consider an upgrade. Here are six reasons why you should make the switch today. 

What Is Forced Air Heating? 

A forced-air system is the most common type of heating and cooling system in Canada and the United States. It’s less common in countries across Europe. 

It involves the air going through a centralised location for heating and cooling. Then the air is forced through a series of ducts throughout the building.

A forced-air system uses a heat pump or furnace to heat the air before it circulates through your home.  When you set the temperature warmer, cooler air warms by flowing from your home and into the system through a filter and then heated. 

This circulation of the air continues until your home reaches the set temperature. 

1. Your Current System Is Old 

How long have you had your current system? If it’s over ten or fifteen years old, your heating system may be less efficient and more prone to breaking down. Not only is it more likely to break, but your yearly maintenance costs will rise as your system ages. 

There have also been vast improvements in efficiency over the last ten years. This means that your system can’t compare to the newer models on the market today. 

Depending on how old your system is – especially if it is over 20 years old – it could be only 50% – 60% efficient. Today’s models can be nearly 99% efficient, depending on the model.

This kind of jump in efficiency will result in noticeable savings on your energy bills, especially when you consider that with Canada’s cold climate, space heating accounts for 61% of the energy you use. 

Increased Repair costs 

If you find yourself calling emergency services more and more often, then it’s time to upgrade your system. Over time, you’ll spend more on repairs of your old system than you would if you bought a new one. 

2. More Responsive System  

When it comes to heating your home quickly, you can’t beat a forced-air system. This is because the system is effective at changing the temperature of the air and them forcibly moving it throughout the building. 

3. You Have Humidity Problems 

One way to tell that your equipment has reached the end of its useful life is if you have humidity problems. This is commonly caused by leaky ductwork. 

You’ll notice that you have overly dry air in your home during winter. Then in summer, you’ll notice your home is excessively humid. 

Installing a new system will balance out the humidity in your home and eliminate both of these problems. This is especially true with a dedicated humidifier add-on, which will actively monitor and adjust your home’s humidity level automatically, to keep it in the ideal range.

Why This Is a Problem 

You may not think dry or humid air is an issue. You’d be wrong. Overly dry air in winter will cause a variety of problems from dried-out skin to irritated sinuses, to getting sick more often. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, too much humidity in your home can encourage mould and mildew to grow. Now you are at risk of developing health issues from the mould spores. 

4. An Affordable Switch 

When it comes to switching systems, choosing forced air makes the process more affordable and easier. This is especially true if you intend to go from central air to forced air. 

This is of course assuming your home has heating ducts in place. The advantage of having central heating ducts is that they can also be used for a central air conditioning system as well.

5. Zone Control 

Does your current system only allow you to pick one temperature for the entire home? This is outdated technology. It means your system will continuously work to cool or heat the whole house to the set temperature. 

Modern systems allow you to divide your home into zones. This way, the system can focus on the rooms that need air the most. This approach works exceptionally well in larger homes. 

Each zone will have a dedicated thermostat, and then all of the thermostats will work together through a single central control panel. 

Unintended Varying Temperature 

Do you feel a temperature imbalance as you walk around your home? One that you didn’t intend on. Then it’s time to upgrade your system. 

A temperature imbalance in your home will cause your system to work harder. This puts more wear and tear on the entire system trying to bring the colder areas up to temperature. The harder your system works, the more expensive it is to run, and the sooner it’ll reach the end of its useful life. 

6. Smart Device Integration 

Can you control your system from your phone? This is the future of HVAC technology.  Upgrading your system means you can have complete control over your home’s system no matter where you are. 

Your new smart thermostat can make automatic adjustments based on the time of day, day of the week, and current weather conditions. This means that your home will begin heating when it senses the outside temperature drop below a certain degree.

The other benefit is that your heating system can keep temperatures lower when you’re not home to save energy, and raise them again in time for when you get home, from work for instance.

Upgrade to Forced Air Heating

Is your system over ten years old or showing signs of ageing? Maybe you’re having mould or humidity problems? Then it’s time to consider upgrading to forced-air heating. 

A new system will not only help you and your family feel more comfortable, but it’ll save you money.  

Contact our team today and schedule a consultation for your new system.