Types of Heating Systems for Alberta Homes and Buildings
What are the different types of heating systems available in Canada? Common heating systems in Canadian homes include forced-air furnaces, boilers and hydronic heating, electric baseboards, heat pumps, and combination or hybrid systems. The best option depends on the local climate, available energy sources, existing ductwork or piping, installation costs, and the level of efficiency and comfort you want.
Which Heating System Is Best: a Furnace, Boiler or Heat Pump?
If you’re building or renovating a home or commercial building, choosing the right heating system is an important part of the planning process. Your builder or renovator can provide guidance, but it also helps to understand how different heating systems work, where they perform best and how the space will be used.
Some of the resources you’ll want to consult include master plumbers, if you’re going with a water or radiator-based system, or a heating engineer / experienced HVAC expert if you’re going with forced heat. These experts can be consulted during planning and installation phases, or brought on periodically throFor a water-based or radiator system, consult a qualified plumber or hydronic heating professional. For a forced-air furnace or heat pump, work with an experienced HVAC contractor. These professionals can help with system design, equipment selection, installation and ongoing maintenance.
In Edmonton, the heating system must be capable of keeping the building comfortable throughout a long heating season and periods of extreme cold. Make sure your contractor has experience with projects that are similar in size and complexity to yours.
Before selecting a system, consider the following:
- How will you use the space?
- How much heat will the building require during Edmonton’s coldest weather?
- Does the building already have ductwork, radiators or in-floor piping?
- How well insulated and air-sealed is the building?
- Do you also want the system to provide cooling?
- What are your installation, operating and maintenance budgets?
Answering these questions before choosing your equipment can help you find a system that provides reliable comfort without unnecessary energy use.
What Types of Heating Systems Are Available in Alberta?
The most common heating systems in Alberta include forced-air furnaces, boilers, radiant floor heating and heat pumps. Each system distributes heat differently and has its own installation requirements, advantages and limitations.
How Do Furnaces Work?
Central furnaces remain one of the most common heating systems in Edmonton and throughout Alberta. Most are powered by natural gas, although electric furnaces are also available. Furnaces are often a practical option for homes and buildings that already have ductwork.
A furnace heats air and distributes it through ducts to rooms throughout the building. In a gas furnace, burners heat a metal heat exchanger. A blower then moves air across the heat exchanger and through the ductwork. The combustion gases are safely vented outside.
Most new residential gas furnaces are high-efficiency condensing models. These furnaces recover additional heat from exhaust gases before venting them outside. This process produces condensation, which is drained through a pipe. Most new residential gas furnaces sold in Canada have an annual fuel utilization efficiency, or AFUE, rating of at least 95%.
Furnaces and boilers both generate heat, but they distribute it differently. A furnace heats and circulates air, while a boiler heats and circulates water or steam.
How Do Boilers Work?
Boilers heat water and circulate it through pipes to radiators, baseboard heaters or in-floor tubing. After releasing its heat, the cooler water returns to the boiler to be reheated.
Many residential boilers in Edmonton use natural gas. Larger commercial properties may use hot-water or steam boiler systems, depending on the building and its heating requirements.
Modern condensing boilers recover heat from their exhaust gases, allowing them to operate more efficiently than many older non-condensing models. Boilers can provide consistent and comfortable heat, but they do not provide cooling or move ventilation air through ductwork.
How Does Radiant Floor Heating Work?
Hydronic radiant floor heating circulates warm water through tubing installed beneath the floor. The floor warms up and gradually transfers heat into the room.
Radiant floor heating can provide quiet, even comfort without blowing air through ducts. It is commonly installed during new construction or major renovations because adding tubing beneath an existing floor can be disruptive and expensive.
Its efficiency depends on the heat source, insulation, system controls and quality of the installation. Repairs can also be more involved when the tubing is difficult to access. Some flooring materials work better with radiant heating than others, so the system should be designed with the finished flooring in mind.
How Do Heat Pumps Work?
Heat pumps transfer heat instead of producing it through combustion. Air-source heat pumps draw heat from the outdoor air during winter and move indoor heat outside during summer. This allows one system to provide both heating and cooling.
Ground-source heat pumps, also called geothermal systems, exchange heat with the ground, where temperatures remain more stable throughout the year. They can be highly efficient, but they usually cost more to install and require suitable outdoor space.
Modern cold-climate air-source heat pumps can operate at temperatures well below freezing. However, their heating capacity and efficiency may decline as the outdoor temperature falls. Because Edmonton experiences periods of extreme cold, some homes use a heat pump alongside a gas furnace or another backup heating source. This is often called a hybrid or dual-fuel system.
The best configuration depends on the building’s heating requirements, insulation, electrical capacity and existing HVAC equipment.
Deciding Factors
How Do You Compare Heating System Efficiency?
Furnace and boiler efficiency is commonly measured using annual fuel utilization efficiency, or AFUE. This rating estimates how much of the fuel used over a heating season is converted into usable heat. For example, a furnace with a 95% AFUE rating converts approximately 95% of its fuel into heat under standardized test conditions.
Heat-pump efficiency is measured differently. Common ratings include HSPF2 for seasonal heating performance and SEER2 for cooling performance. When comparing heat pumps for an Edmonton property, it is also important to consider how much heating capacity the unit can provide at low outdoor temperatures.
Efficiency ratings are useful, but the equipment must be properly sized, installed and maintained to perform as intended.
What Affects the Cost of Installing a Heating System?
Every heating system has advantages and disadvantages. Initial costs may include the equipment, labour and any changes needed to accommodate the new system. Depending on the property, this could include new ductwork, piping, electrical upgrades or venting.
Operating costs should also be considered. Electricity and natural gas rates can change, so it is better to compare estimated long-term energy use than to rely only on current utility prices.
Maintenance and future repair costs are also important. Furnaces, boilers and heat pumps should be inspected and maintained regularly to support safe, reliable and efficient operation. Radiant floor systems may operate for years without problems, but repairs can be more complex if a leak develops in an inaccessible area.
The right system for an Edmonton home or building will depend on the property, available energy sources, existing infrastructure and budget. An experienced local HVAC contractor can assess the building and recommend equipment that is properly sized for Edmonton’s climate.
Need Help Choosing the Right Heating System?
WeatherMakers Heating, Cooling & Plumbing can help you compare furnaces, boilers and heat pumps based on your Edmonton property, comfort needs and budget. Contact our experienced team today to schedule a consultation and find the right heating solution for your home or building.
Originally posted on September 24, 2019
Updated on September 9, 2026