Skip navigation

Serving the South Puget Sound and Western Washington Areas Since 1976

Serving the South Puget Sound and Southwest Washington Areas Since 1976

24 Hour Emergency Service

360-456-4956

Sunset Air Blog

How to Choose a Heater

We live in a world of many choices: whether purchasing a tube of toothpaste or an off-road vehicle, we have numerous options with different features, offered in a range of styles and with an equal range of prices. Sometimes it can turn bewildering, and in our rush to just “get something,” we make the wrong choice. Or we end up making no choice at all.

When you need to select a new heating system for your home, either because you have to replace an older system or because you have purchased a new home, you will encounter the same dilemma of choice: many types, brands, sizes. How do you make the correct choice?

Follow our short guide to help get you started on the road toward a great heating installation in Olympia, WA. You can trust in advice from Sunset Air—we’ve been doing this since 1976.

First, get professionals involved. Don’t do this alone… please. Unless you are an HVAC professional yourself, you need experts to help you. There are many factors involved you might overlook, but which a trained technician will focus on.

Second, have a heat load calculation done. A heat load calculation is a complex equation that takes an accumulation of data about your home and uses it to estimate how large a heating system you need to heat it properly. The criteria includes your home’s size, the number and placement of windows, the amount of heat generated from other appliances, insulation quality, and how many people live there. Don’t expect to perform this calculation on your own—it’s a job for the HVAC technician.

Third, consider your available fuel source. Gas, propane, electricity, oil: what fuel does your home already use? Different heaters use different types of fuel, and unless you are planning to convert to a new energy source, you will want to stick with a heater that connects to the current supply.

Fourth, are you interested in zone heating? Zone heating allows you to control the temperature in separate parts of your house independent of each other. This can offer energy savings, but you may not need it for smaller homes.

There’s more to consider as well, and it can seem like too much to take into account. But keep in mind that first step: if you have the help of HVAC specialists, most of your worries are taken care of. Professionals can offer expert advice on every decision and make suggestions you might never have considered. If you hire a dependable company with a long history of customer satisfaction, you will end up with the right heater.

For professional heating service in Olympia, WA —from that big installation to a regular maintenance check-up—look to Sunset Air.

Comments are closed.