Evaluate the Home Systems

So you like the way the house looks and believe the footprint will accommodate your family’s needs. But how does it function?

Let’s examine the house’s infrastructure:

Heating and Cooling Systems

Here are questions you should be asking:

1. What kind of system is being used?
2. How old is it?
3. What kind of condition is it in?
4. How much does it cost to operate?

I’m not suggesting that you pursue or walk away from a house based on the answers you receive, but it’s worth figuring in the cost of future replacements as you debate the merits of one house versus another.

Common heating and cooling systems include hydronic, warm-air, natural-gas, oil and electric. Let’s take them one-by-one.

Hydronic Systems. Hydronic heating systems transmit heat via hot water or steam. A boiler (powered by electricity, natural or propane gas, or oil) heats the water, which is then circulated by a pump via pipes to the radiators or baseboards of the house. You’re better off with forced hot water than with steam. The cons that come with steam heating are: uneven heat distribution, drying the air, slow response, noise, and inefficiency. Many newer homes will not use steam heat but older houses will.

Warm-Air Systems. Warm-air systems can use electricity, gas, or oil as their main fuel source. The most common warm-air system is forced air. How it works: fans or blowers circulate the warmed air from the furnace through the house. Another type of warm-air system is a gravity system. You know how heat rises? Well a gravity system is based on the likelihood of warm air rising. You’ll find these systems in use mainly in older houses. Their drawbacks, compared to forced-hot-air systems are that you’ll need a huge furnace in the middle of the basement and considerable duct-work. Not only are they inefficient, you can’t run central air-conditioning through them. For these reasons, if the house you’re considering has a gravity system, you should plan to replace it.