How to Identify Your Heating & Cooling Systems: A Step-by-Step Guide for Homeowners

As a homeowner, understanding the systems that heat and cool your home throughout the year is critical. We may enjoy the comforts of a cozy living room in the winter, or the refreshing coolness of an AC breeze during the summer, but we might not be familiar with the technology that makes this possible. 

When you have a basic comprehension of the heating and cooling system that your home employs, you can:

• Accurately communicate your service needs to your HVAC technicians 

• Make informed decisions regarding your home comfort system

• Cut energy costs by exploring more efficient upgrades and alternatives

• Know how often to schedule heating and cooling system maintenance

In this simple, straightforward guide, we’ll guide you through the process of identifying the units and fixtures that control your home temperature. 

Where to start...

We can usually deduce the type of system a homeowner has with three quick questions:

1. Where is the main unit located? 

2. What does the unit look like?

3. What kinds of devices deliver the heat to the different rooms in your house? 

With these details in mind, let’s walk though the different types of systems and discover which one(s) your home uses. 

Boiler 

Boilers are hydronic heating systems, meaning they use hot water to heat your home. 

Where are boilers located in your home?

Boilers are most commonly found in basements, crawl spaces, and utility closets.

What does a boiler look like?

There are a couple of different types of boilers that you can have: 

1. Traditional boilers are the most typical boilers you will see. They will look like a large metal box sitting on the floor, and will be accompanied by a water tank. Top Brands: Weil-Mclain, Williamson, Burnham

   

2. High efficiency boilers are typically smaller “suitcase-sized” units that are hung on the wall and are either white or grey. These boilers can deliver heat only, or both heat and hot water (combi units). Top Brands: Rinnai, Navien

   

   
   

Boiler systems disperse the heat they create through either:

1. Baseboard - Long, rectangular units that run along the lower edge of your walls

2. Steam Radiators - Free-standing, “chunky” metal units that can get extremely hot to the touch (Do not attempt to touch a steam radiator!)

Furnace

Furnaces are forced air heating systems that use hot air to heat your home. 

Where would a furnace be located in your home?

Furnaces are usually housed in basements, attics, crawl spaces, and utility closets

What does a furnace look like? 

Furnaces typically look like a large, metal cabinet, and could be confused with a boiler if not for a couple of key features. Luckily, we can clearly distinguish the two through their delivery systems. When looking at a furnace, you will see ductwork coming from the main unit. Top Brands: Carrier, Goodman, Rheem

How does a furnace deliver heat to your home?

If you have a furnace in your home, you will probably see vents in the floor, ceiling, or walls of the different rooms in your house. These vents will blow hot air when the system is running. 

Heat Pump

Heat pumps are powered by electricity, and can heat and/or cool your home. They are becoming more prevalent as homeowners seek out more environmentally friendly heating solutions and take advantage of Mass Save rebate offers.

Where is the main heat pump unit located?

The main heat pump unit, also called the outdoor unit, can be found outside your home. 

What does an outdoor unit look like? 

The key feature of the outdoor unit is that it typically has large fan blades. Top Brands:

Mitsubishi

What systems can heat pumps use to deliver heat and/or cool air your home?

Heat pumps can utilize either ducted or ductless systems to heat and/or cool your home. If you have a ductless system, you will be familiar with using remote-controlled units called mini splits, which can be found along the upper edge of a wall.

Are Heat Pumps and Mini Splits the same thing? ANSWER: A mini-split is a type of heat pump system. The key difference is that mini-splits are ductless, meaning they don’t require extensive ductwork that traditional heat pumps often use. Mini-splits offer more targeted temperature control, as each indoor unit can be set to a different temperature, while standard heat pumps typically control the temperature of the entire house.

If you have a traditional ducted heat pump system, you will see registers (vents) on the floor, ceiling, or walls, and as well as an indoor unit called an air handler, likely in the basement.

If you would like assistance in identifying which type of heating/cooling system your home uses, please don't hesitate to reach out to the J. Griffin crew! Our expert team is just a call away at (781) 520-1212, ready to provide guidance and information about all of your home comfort options.

Stay comfortable! - J. Griffin