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Traditional heating methods rely on fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas. Not only is the cost of obtaining these fossil fuels high, but so is the damage they cause to the environment.
In fact, using the earth’s fossil fuels as a means of heating has a negative impact in more than one area. This includes global warming, increased risk of oil spills, air pollution, and increased acid rain, all of which are harmful to the environment. Fortunately, there are eco-friendly solutions for heating your home during the cold seasons.
Your options include geothermal heating, pellet stoves and solar heating. Let’s learn more about each type of heating that can help you decide the best way to heat your home while staying green.
According to Energy Star reports, geothermal heating is the most environmentally friendly and efficient way to heat your home. However, it requires an upfront investment in a geothermal heating system.
This type of system literally means “heat of the earth” and uses the constant temperature of the earth to heat your home. A typical heating system uses outside air, with the lower the outside air temperature, the more energy is needed to heat the inside air.
A geothermal heating system is actually installed below the surface of the earth, where the temperature is higher than the outside air temperature. This means that it takes less energy to heat the house to the temperature set on the thermostat.
As mentioned, a geothermal system is quite expensive. However, these systems are a good investment that usually pays for themselves in up to 8 years and reduces your monthly heating bills. In addition, a geothermal heating system increases the resale value of your home. It should definitely be on your list of ways to heat while staying green.
Although pellet stoves are similar to wood-burning stoves, they use the aforementioned pellets, which are made from renewable sources such as lamb’s lettuce and waste products such as sawdust from sawmills. These products (which would otherwise be thrown away) are turned into small pellets that are quite affordable.
In addition to using inexpensive renewable or recycled materials, pellet stoves themselves are inexpensive. In addition, they are more environmentally friendly than a wood stove.
Pellets emit very few pollutants into the air compared to a traditional wood burning stove. A single pellet stove can heat a home up to 450 square feet. If your home has more space, you may need to consider purchasing two
Compared to a traditional wood stove, pellet stoves take up less space, as do pellets compared to wood. In addition, pellets can be stored in the garage or basement and you don’t have to worry about chopping, stacking, storing or bringing wood to the stove….
It’s no secret that solar heating is the most energy efficient heating solution. Once you make the initial investment to install solar heating and solar panels, there are no additional costs to you. You essentially have the option of heating your home for free for life.
However, you need to decide what type of solar heating system you want to install. The first type heats liquid in a hydronic collector and the second type heats air. In most cases, the decision is made based on the type of heating system you already have.
