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SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
If you think of winter comfort as circulating warm air,
then the electric forced air system is right for you. This compact unit can be
installed almost anywhere in your home and it can even be hooked up to an
electric air conditioning system for cooling. An electronic air cleaner can
also be added.
The system consists of: the furnace, which contains
controls, heating elements, and a fan; the supply ducts, which distribute the
heated or cooled air; the return ducts, which deliver air from the house back
to the furnace for reheating; and the thermostat, which directs the furnace to
heat to a preset temperature. If air conditioning is part of the system, the
same thermostat can direct cooling.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The thermostat senses the house has cooled off, it signals
the furnace to energize a series of heating elements, and a fan blows over the
elements. The warm air is circulated through the supply ducts, exiting at
registers (usually located on the floor) throughout the house. The
centrally-located return air ducts (usually located in the ceiling) draw air
through a filter to clean out particles, then back through the elements for
reheating.
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
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It's not recommended to close off rooms in the house.
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Costs more to operate than a heat pump.
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Not designed to be used as a zonal system.
MAINTENANCE
Since there isn't a fuel being burned, it is a very clean system.
Maintenance from a heating contractor is seldom needed.
EFFICIENCY
Electric resistance heat is 100% efficient. For every watt of
electricity the system consumes, a watt of heat is created. The weak point of a
forced air system is the ductwork (see section on Ductwork). If possible, try
to place all ductwork within the heated space. If not, make sure all seams and
joints are thoroughly sealed.
CONTROLS
(See additional information in Thermostat section). In most
cases, a single thermostat can control the entire system. To improve your
comfort, an electronic thermostat is a great idea. It will narrow the gap
between the high and low temperature swings.
It is recommended that the thermostat setting be turned
down while sleeping, or when the house is vacant for four hours or longer. A
programmable thermostat allows you to set the temperatures according to your
daily schedule, saving on your heating costs.
EASE OF OPERATION
With a programmable thermostat, this system is simple to control.
If you have a standard thermostat, it is necessary to manually reduce the
temperature while sleeping and during times when the house is unoccupied for at
least four hours.
CONTROL TIPS
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Clean or replace the air filter on a regular basis
(monthly).
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Check for blockage at the register for things that may
have dropped into the ductwork.
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Vacuum the ductwork occasionally or have it professionally done
to remove dust and particles.
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