Pro Duct Solutions is an Ottawa-based HVAC company and knows the needs of the people who live in Ottawa. With a team of highly skilled technicians, we will help you find the right heating solution for your Ottawa area home. We’re always available to help you find a solution and provide you an affordable quote for our fast and efficient service. The friendly technicians at Pro Duct solutions are ready and capable of helping you with hydronic heating installation, maintenance, and repair. Try out our online booking tool or give us a call today to schedule the best HVAC service in Ottawa.
The Benefits of Hydronic Heating in Ottawa
The form of hydronic heating that most people are familiar with is radiators. If you’ve ever rented an apartment in Sandy Hill, you’ll know all to well about the ups and downs of those clunky, ornate radiators. But radiators are nowhere near the only option when it comes to hydronic heating.
You can have a hydronic heating system installed under your floor, in your walls, and even in your ceiling. Baseboard radiators are also powered by hydronic heating.
How does hydronic heating work?
It’s pretty simple! Hydronic heating uses a 3-step process.
The water is heated in a boiler.
The hot water is circulated throughout your home via tubing or radiators. Depending on where the tubing is placed, it’s either going to heat the flooring tiles, wall panels, or the metal of the radiator.
The heat from these surfaces then radiate throughout your home, keeping everything toasty warm.
What pieces do you need for a hydronic heating system?
What makes hydronic heating what it is, are the key pieces of the system. You’ll need a water heater, water, and a heat exchange of some sort. The great thing about hydronic heating is that there are multiple options when it comes to the boiler and the heat exchanger. This system allows you to fully customize your heating for your whole home’s needs.
For the boilers, you can stick with a traditional hot water tank. This is especially handy if you already have one in your home. You can substitute that with an energy efficient tankless water heater or even a solar water heater, if you’re planning to use hydronic heating in a smaller area of your home. A solar water heater can even be used in combination with another form of boiler if you’re wanting to use hydronic heating for your whole home, but also stay as environmentally friendly as possible.
When it come to heat exchangers, you have a couple of options here as well. You can have hydronic heating installed under your floors using radiant loops or tubing. If that doesn’t work for you, you can have the same style of heating installed in your walls or ceiling. Hydronic heating can also be achieved with a trusty radiator or baseboard heating.
Hydronic vs. Gas (Furnace) Heating
There is never one thing to suit everyone’s needs. If you’re considering a new heating method for your home, here are some factors that you’ll need to consider.
Heating ability: while both hydronic and gas heating do a great job heating your home, there are a couple key differences. Hydronic heating provides a more consistent heat throughout your home, one corner will be just as warm as the others. It’s also really nice to have warm tiles to walk across on a cold winter day. Gas heating can heat your house faster and can be adjusted via your thermostat.
Home air quality: with hydronic heating, you’re never going to have to worry about duct cleaning or furnace filters. You’ll be adding heat to your home without adding dust to your air. Gas heating is all about heating the air in your home and so is always going to affect the air quality.
Energy Efficiency: because hydronic heating uses small enclosed pipes, there is far less heat loss than with a duct system. The water stays heated for longer and since the tubes for circulating the water are also the heat exchanger, all your heat is going exactly where it’s supposed to go. Unfortunately, gas heating can’t compare to the efficiency you get with hydronic heating.
Cost Considerations
While hydronic heating is going to save you money over the long run, the installation process is more involve than with a gas-based heating system. There is more tubing that needs to be installed and your floor will need to be taken up.
With that being said, if you’re already planning to re-do your flooring, there will never be a better time to add hydronic heating. Installing the tubing while doing other renovations cuts down on the installation costs and allows you to get the exact home you’ve always wanted.
Other fun stuff you can do with hydronic heating!
Were you aware that in some circumstances, you can have a hydronic heating system installed under your driveway? Say goodbye to shovelling and ice buildup and say hello a more manageable winter season.
Hydronic heating can also be installed behind the walls of your pool for heated water all year round.
In Ottawa and the surrounding areas, Pro Duct Solutions has the skill and training to help with the installation of your new hydronic heating system. With one call to us, you will have all the knowledge you need to make your decision and all the access to skilled professionals you need to have your hydronic heating system installed perfectly.