If you’re in the market for new heating equipment this winter, you may want to consider electric resistance heating, especially if electricity is your only choice. This equipment converts nearly 100 percent of electric energy into usable heat for your home. However, because of the generally higher cost of electricity, electric resistance heating may be more expensive to operate than combustion appliances. In Broken Arrow’s warm climate though, this is not economically significant because of the limited number of heating days per year.
Here’s a look at four different types of electric resistance heating to consider for your Oklahoma home.
Electric furnaces: These work the same as gas- or oil-fired furnaces, but they run on electricity rather than combustion fuels. As with any forced-air heating system, you can improve efficiency by sealing ductwork and replacing the filter as recommended by the manufacturer.
Electric baseboard heaters: These feature electric heating elements enclosed in metal pipes that run along the baseboards in each room. This is a great option if you want a zoning system in your home, since each room can have its own thermostat for customized heating.
Electric wall heaters: Another form of electric resistance heating is a wall heater, which is comprised of an electric heating element installed in front of a reflector. There is usually a fan as well to help move air across the heating element. These are typically installed in interior walls since they are easier to insulate there.
Electric thermal storage: The most common type of electrical thermal storage is a resistance heater. This form of electric resistance heating is advantageous in areas where utility companies charge higher rates for electricity use during the day. It allows you to take advantage of lower rates at night when you can store electric heat for the day while decreasing your energy bills.
To learn more about electric resistance heating, or to discover other forms of heating that may work well for your home, please contact Air Assurance today. We have served Broken Arrow since 1985.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Image courtesy of Shutterstock