The economy has reached an interesting point in
our history. It's not at the lowest it has ever been. We are still
enjoying parts of our lives that can be enjoyed despite our downturn.
But, it does take some creative ingenuity to enjoy some of the things
we need like heat.
In this economy, it has become critical that
we return to some old ways of heating. Also, we can find new ways that
will keep us warm this winter as we enter into it. Burning wood and
gas don't always have to be the alternatives we turn to during the
chill of the winter months.
Solar Heating
When people think
of solar heating, they think of panels that are attached on the roof
and tied into the electrical system running the electrical needs
throughout the home. While that is true, there are also passive solar
heating methods that help to heat the home even though they might not
be able to provide extra electric to your home.
Large
south-facing windows allow the sun to directly shine through. If the
windows extend from the floor to the ceiling, you'll have heat in those
rooms all day long that also provide heat to other rooms depending on
the size and the insulation. If you have thermal mass insulation, it
can store heat for the nighttime as well. So, that heat is a source
that doesn't come with a bill plus the heat is still there long after
the heating source has disappeared.
Thermal mass insulation is
usually rather typical resources like certain masonry and tiles, while
other thermal mass insulation utilizes newer methods like water filled
tubes. Thermal mass actually absorbs the heat during the day and then
releases it at night. It's smart material that you should look into if
you are thinking of making some heating changes in your home to save
your pocket.
Of course, active solar heating does utilize panels
that normally sit on the roof. The best method is to utilize solar
panels that gather the sun's energy for all of your electric needs
rather than a system that is merely put in place to collect energy from
the sun for heating purposes only. When you have free electric tied
into your electrical system, you can run all of your electric
appliances as well as utilize electrical heating solutions.
Hydronic Heating
This
is a rather simple change to make to your home, especially if you have
wood floors or tiles. Hydronic heating is a heating system that is run
through your floors with tubing that can be heating with a water heater
on demand. The tubing heats the floor at a comfortable level, which
then rises as heat tends to do. With a water heater on demand system
in place, you can count on lowered heating bills. In fact, you just
might love the investment you make when you see the heating bill.
Geothermal Heating
This
is a rather natural way to heat your home as well as cool it in the
summer. There are layers of the earth that begin with the surface and
end at the core. But, just below the earth's surface is a layer that
always stays at 70 degrees. It's not far down and you can install a
heat pump in that layer of the earth so that it can utilize various
methods to pump heat into the home during the winter and in turn also
keeps the home cool during the summer. If you utilized hydronic
heating and solar energy in conjunction with geothermal heating, you
would never see another heating bill.
Get completely off grid.
With this economy, it's pretty vital. The electric and gas companies
are going to start looking to you for their survival. As costs of
heating rise, you'll find it harder and harder to switch to alternative
methods. The sooner you do it, the sooner your investment will start
paying you back.
