Heating Systems

A variety of methods can be used to heat an energy efficient home. Effect provides recommendations depending on the home’s requirements and homeowners’ preferences.

Air-Source Heat Pump

• Uses electricity to energize a refrigeration process, extracting heat from outside air and transferring this to the home’s interior.
• Heat distributed via forced air or hydronic system.
• Low-temperature models available capable of operating in Canadian winters.
• Used in homes not connected to gas grid.

Boiler

• Uses gas or electricity to heat fluid for fan-coil and/or in-floor radiant systems
• Up to 97% efficient in gas-fired units

Fan-Coil

• Air passes through radiator, heated by hot-water.
• Used in boiler, micro combined heat power, air source heat pump, and ground source heat pump systems.

Ground-Source Heat Pump (Geothermal)

• Collects and transfers heat from the earth through pipes buried in the ground into the building, where it is concentrated for inside use by a refrigeration process
• Heat distributed via forced air or hydronic system
• Used in homes not connected to gas grid

High-Efficiency Furnace

• Gas fired appliance with efficiencies up to 98%.

Micro Combined Heat Power (Co-Generation)

• Uses gas to generate both heat and electricity simultaneously.
• Heat distributed via forced air or hydronic system.
• Electricity can be used immediately in building, be exported into the electrical grid, or charge batteries.
• Can be used in homes connected or not connected to electrical grid

Passive Solar

• Passive solar is used to supplement the heating systems described above. It uses south facing windows to allow winter sunlight to heat a thermal mass.