Your home is the place where you relax and spend quality time alone with your family. This is why you need to make sure that it is as comfortable and as safe as possible. Heating your home can be a real dilemma. With the rising energy prices, the global warming and the need to go green, finding the best heating option can be tricky.
Why Do I need to Opt for Green Heating?
Having a warm and cozy home is everybody’s dream but sometimes having too many options is a bit confusing. Today, there are a lot of heating options available and it is your job as a home owner to choose the most appropriate one.
No matter where you live, the heating costs can go sky high especially in the chilly season. In addition to breaking the bank, some heating options can also be very bad to the environment and will definitely increase your carbon footprint.
Think of all the traditional heating options. In the past, people used to burn wood, coal, oil and natural gas to keep their houses warm. Coal, oil and natural gas are very expensive to harvest and will emit gases like carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide that negatively affect the air. Cutting wood for heat is also very bad for the environment as it affects the ecosystem to a great extent by changing the natural habitat for a lot of living organisms. Today, people are trying to come up with better and greener solutions to keep their houses warm and safe.
Green heating involves using eco-friendly options that will have less or no effect on the environment. Luckily, these green heating options will reduce your carbon footprint while keeping your house warm and cozy.
Green heating involves using renewable heating options that will not harm the environment and will not increase your heating bills. Some of these systems might be too expensive to install at the beginning but they will definitely pay off over a few years.
Geothermal Heating
Geothermal heating is an efficient way to keep your house warm all year long while keeping your energy bills low. This system uses the temperature of the earth to increase the temperature of the air inside your house. Unlike traditional heating systems that will use the outside air and more energy to raise the temperature, a geothermal heating system will actually use the energy coming from the earth itself.
The core of the earth is always hotter than the air outside and this means that the system will use less energy to raise the temperature up.Geothermal heating systems have heat pumps that contain a fluid. This fluid will absorb the heat and bring it inside to the house, raising the temperature without affecting your energy bill.
However, you have to understand that a geothermal heating system is rather expensive. You need to think of it as an investment that will pay for itself over several years. It will also increase the value of your home if you ever think of reselling it.
Solar Heating
Sun is the ultimate source of energy on our planet. Solar energy is permanent, clean and renewable. Using solar energy is one of the best options to keep your house warm all year long. Once you decide to have solar panels and a solar heating system installed, you will have a free heating system forever regardless of the weather condition. The solar cells can also provide electricity and keep your house cool if you choose to use it this way.
You will have to choose the type of solar system according to the heating system you have already installed. This will help you cut down on the cost of installation. Whether you choose to have the liquid or the air heating system, you will have to pay some money at first. Solar systems are not very expensive and once you have one installed you will never have to worry about paying a heating bill again.
Pellet Stoves
Unlike wood burning stoves, pellet stoves work using renewable resources. Most of the time these pellets will be made of products that would otherwise be thrown away like sawdust and grass.
Pellet stoves are not expensive and they typically produce less pollution than traditional wood burning stoves while keeping your house warm and cozy. The cost of pellets is also very low compared to the firewood prices. Moreover, the pellets are very easy to store and move compared to wood. You will not have to worry about chopping or carrying the big pieces of wood to the stove. Heattalk.com is a fantastic resource for heating and cooling ideas for your home.
Hydronic Heating
Hydronic heating systems are the new versions of old radiators that used to keep our houses warm in the past. They have boilers that will use the solar energy and geothermal energy to heat water. The water is then pumped into a radiator that will keep your house warm.
Biodiesel
Biodiesel is a cleaner and cheaper option than oil. Using biodiesel to heat your home will release fewer pollutants and will help reduce your carbon footprint. This will decrease the greenhouse effect which will affect the whole environment on the long run.
Some people will use biofuels that are made of wheat, corn and soybeans. These are clean and sustainable to help you keep your house warm without having a negative effect on the environment.
Wind Power
You can use the renewable wind energy to operate a wind turbine that will generate heat energy to heat water and keep your house warm. The turbine can be installed anywhere where the wind blows regularly, like on a roof top. The turbine will pump water through tubing to provide your house with hot water and heat energy.
Using these green options will help you keep your house warm and cozy without costing a fortune. However there are more tips that will help you make the best of them. You can invest in some efficientwall insulation. This will prevent the outflow of heat after the heating system has warmed your house. As a result, less energy will be needed to keep your house warm. You can also upgrade your windows if they are old. If you don’t want to replace your windows, you can use weather-stripping to prevent the leaking of heat during the cold months.
Opting for these green options will help you keep your house warm in spite of the weather condition. They will also help you manage your energy bill and keep it under control while reducing your carbon footprint.