Advantages and Disadvantages of Forced Air Heating

Energy costs aside, repair, replacement, and maintenance costs are lower for a forced air system compared to other heating methods. Choosing Energy Star units can further reduce energy costs to increase savings.

Aside from vents and registers, most of the equipment is concealed inside the walls, or hidden in a basement or utility room.

The same ductwork is used to move warm air and cool air, so replacing a system or adding a central air conditioner is a relatively easy process and a huge upgrade over individual air conditioning units.

Forced air systems are constructed with simple components and a limited number of parts. This means there are fewer things to go wrong, and it’s more likely that a repair technician will have parts on hand for faster repairs.

You feel the effects of forced air heating as soon as the furnace kicks on.

Since warm air blows directly from a register, you can dry wet items by putting them over a vent. This works great for mittens, and boots.

It’s easy to add equipment to filter, humidify and/or dehumidify air for a whole house or commercial structure. Whole-home air purifiers, humidification, and central air conditioning systems are often included at the time of installation.

Many furnaces use natural gas, which is an extremely affordable, clean burning fuel. Modern high efficiency furnaces have Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) ratings as high as 98%.

Forced air systems can be noisy. These systems involve a furnace turning on and off which adds to the noise level of an indoor space. This might be a consideration if the area in question is going to be used for recording audio or attending Zoom meetings.

Forced air systems blow dust and contaminates around as they heat and cool. Even with air filtering devices in place, it’s a good idea to keep the dust cloth handy if you plan on using a forced air system.

The location of air ducts and registers may affect the amount of conditioned air that reaches different rooms. Leaky ducts, and distance can reduce the effectiveness of a forced air HVAC system.

Other HVAC systems are relatively turnkey in terms of operation and maintenance, however with a forced air system filters need to be changed on a regular basis.

Because the thermostat is centrally located, directing heat to individual rooms can only be done by opening and closing vents, so you don’t have the control you have with hydronic systems or radiators. Read more about hydronic systems in the article: Pros and Cons of Hydronic Heating.

It’s a given that air will leak from even the best constructed run ductwork. Factors like the length, complexity, and number of connection points will affect the efficiency, but suffice it to say that ducts aren’t airtight.