Paired with a humidifier, forced air can distribute humidity throughout your house, giving you relief from that winter dryness. But if it’s humidity you need during the dry winter months, forced air is your best bet. Because they don’t move so much air around, which distributes allergens and dust, they’re better for you. The hot air rises and hangs out near the ceiling, while cooler air settles towards the floor where we are spending our time.Īnother benefit to radiant systems is that they keep your indoor air quality higher. On the other hand, with forced air systems, there is an opposite layering of temperatures. When you have radiators and in-floor warming delivering the heat, most of it stays closer to the floor where it is easier to enjoy. Those objects absorb the heat and then release it, causing a constant, even heat in your home.

The infrared energy also heats any objects in its direct line of sight. Radiant heating systems can keep the cooler temperatures up near the ceiling because they use infrared energy, which dissipates as it gets further from the source (like on the ceiling). Radiant systems are also more efficient because they maintain heat within 6 feet of the floor, which is where you spend your time (I don’t think most of us spend much time, if any, on the ceilings of the rooms in our house). With a forced air system, air temperatures in a home cool off quickly and drop below the set temperature, causing the heating system to run more cycles than a radiant system. With a radiant system, it is easier to maintain a constant temperature in your home because it measures the temperature of the heated water in the pipes. Some studies have put the efficiency of radiant heat at 30% greater than forced air. If you’re looking for efficiency, radiant heat is your best bet.

There are benefits to both types of systems, but to be able to make an educated decision, you need to learn about both.

On the other hand, radiant heat is typically distributed through a system of pipes filled with water. Home > Blog > What is the difference between forced air and radiant heat? What is the difference between forced air and radiant heat?įorced air systems carry heat using air as a medium, most often through a series of ducts.