During the winter about 40% of the entire energy consumption in this country is spent heating homes. Most of these heating methods are non-renewable and are also very expensive to you. If you are environmentally conscious as well as interested in saving money, you might consider some alternative ideas for heating your home during cold weather, rather than conventional electric or gas. There are numerous interesting ways to heat your home that you may not be aware of. Below are 4 popular alternative heating methods:
Solar Heating
Solar heating is one of the less expensive forms of alternative energy that you can even build at home if you are motivated. If not multiple types can be bought ready to use from a manufacturer. Solar-powered energy from the sun to heat air or liquid. The heated element is later sent through a storage system directly to the rooms in your home. The heat can be transferred into the interior space or stored in some cases. With many homes receiving unobstructed sunlight, a solar heating system would be an excellent heating alternative. (You just need to remember to remove the solar shade screen and to open your curtains until it’s summer.)
Biomass
Biomass is just a big word for a variety of wood materials used for heating. It involves a biomass stove that can be built at home or purchased. This is a type of stove that resembles a wood burner and can be used to heat any room at a given time. You can also implement a centralized heating system by connecting a big biomass boiler to a radiator or a hot water tank. Biomass is a carbon-neutral source of fuel, and it’s better for us and the earth than using fossil fuels. The pellets or chips used for burning are produced through short rotation and coppiced (a tree cut back to ground level periodically to stimulate growth) quickly, hence reducing the amount of carbon monoxide released into the atmosphere. According to the experts, you’ll hardly notice any changes in the air when heating your home with this method.
Geothermal Heating
Geothermal heating has been in existence for years and works through a process of extracting heat retained within the earth. Special pipes can be used to extract the heat from your backyard. Pipes are first connected to a ground source heat pump. The pump circulates a liquid mixture of antifreeze and water, which heats as it goes through pipes. A heat exchanger is then used to pass this mixture. The results are worthwhile although this method might interfere with the use or beautification of your yard and can end up being very costly in the beginning. However in the long run you would no longer have to rely on traditional heating or pay hefty utility bills.
Hybrid Heating System
You might want to consider a hybrid heating system if you live in an area where temperatures often go below 30 degrees. Although this system uses electricity as the primary source of fuel, it also has secondary alternative fuel sources. The alternate sources can be switched in the right circumstances or when the demand is high. The hybrid heating furnace uses a thermostat and outdoor sensor to activate the secondary source when temperatures drop below a certain place.
When heating your home, it’s critical to consider the economics, efficiency, energy, and the environment. The above heating alternatives are inexpensive and efficient in the big picture. More importantly, they are safer for the environment and our children’s future.
Comments 1
That’s a cool idea to use the heat under the earth to heat up your house. I would think that since the earth gets to be thousands of degrees, it could warm up your house pretty effectively. I’ll have to consider getting someone to install a geothermal heating system so that I could save on heating and help the environment.