Alternative Heat
Tuesday | February 09, 2010 Filed in: General Remodeling | Heating
Financial insecurity and fear has unfortunately become a large part of life for many consumers. There are many factors that lead to financial difficulties; one is the price of home heating. It is variable and unpredictable, and can leave one gasping for breath when the bill comes in the mail. One way to alleviate some of the stress is to consider alternative heating sources.
Alternative heat sources are generally lower costing sources of energy and are certainly less subject to sudden price changes. They are also more reliable as they are renewable, unlike more traditional methods such as oil and natural gas, which may one day run out.
Perhaps the best recognized alternative heating source is solar heat. This source uses the energy of the sun to provide heat to a home. There are two types of solar heating sources: passive and active.
A passive solar heat system relies on a building's design to collect sunlight and hold heat. A home that uses a passive system will have large south-facing windows in order to heat the interior. It will also have thermal mass surfaces which are made of an absorbent material like tile, concrete, or water. These surfaces collect and store heat for later use.
An active solar heat system relies on collectors, heat pumps, exchangers, storage tanks, and controls. This system gathers, transfers, and disburses heat throughout a home. It also relies on electricity to move the heat that has been gathered and stored from the solar collector through out the home.
A second source of alternative heat is geothermal residential heating systems. These systems use the earth's heat as a source of warmth, and since the temperature of the earth remains constant just below the surface, they can be very efficient. In these systems underground piping is installed containing a liquid to absorb heat. This fluid is then pumped into the home where a heat exchanger extracts the heat. The heat is then distributed throughout the home using a fan. This type of system is also able to use the existing ductwork in the home, so no major internal renovations are needed.
A third source is to use an alternative fireplace. These can include adaptations to an existing fireplace or the installation of a stove within the home. There are a wide range of stoves and fireplaces that can be used to supplement an existing heat source or to provide heat to an entire home. They can also be useful in supporting local industry. The three most common types of fuel for home stoves are corn, pellets and wood.
A corn stove uses fuel corn, which is a low-grade corn that has been rejected for use as food or as animal feed. These stoves use a hopper filled with corn that slowly feeds the fuel into a combustion chamber. Some of these stoves can burn others fuels as well, such as pellets. Pellets are created from a wide range of biomass products, but most commonly from sawdust. Pellet stoves work in the same manner as corn stoves.
Wood stoves have perhaps been in use the longest as a heat source and are still very popular today. Not only can they be independent, but wood stoves can be connected to a forced air heating system to distribute heat throughout the home. The one downside to a wood stove is that the fire needs to be tended manually.
An alternative heat source is a viable option in a struggling economy. While all of the systems discussed here require a financial investment, they also provide a financial benefit. More thorough research should be considered before making a decision, but it will be worth it.
Alternative heat sources are generally lower costing sources of energy and are certainly less subject to sudden price changes. They are also more reliable as they are renewable, unlike more traditional methods such as oil and natural gas, which may one day run out.
Perhaps the best recognized alternative heating source is solar heat. This source uses the energy of the sun to provide heat to a home. There are two types of solar heating sources: passive and active.
A passive solar heat system relies on a building's design to collect sunlight and hold heat. A home that uses a passive system will have large south-facing windows in order to heat the interior. It will also have thermal mass surfaces which are made of an absorbent material like tile, concrete, or water. These surfaces collect and store heat for later use.
An active solar heat system relies on collectors, heat pumps, exchangers, storage tanks, and controls. This system gathers, transfers, and disburses heat throughout a home. It also relies on electricity to move the heat that has been gathered and stored from the solar collector through out the home.
A second source of alternative heat is geothermal residential heating systems. These systems use the earth's heat as a source of warmth, and since the temperature of the earth remains constant just below the surface, they can be very efficient. In these systems underground piping is installed containing a liquid to absorb heat. This fluid is then pumped into the home where a heat exchanger extracts the heat. The heat is then distributed throughout the home using a fan. This type of system is also able to use the existing ductwork in the home, so no major internal renovations are needed.
A third source is to use an alternative fireplace. These can include adaptations to an existing fireplace or the installation of a stove within the home. There are a wide range of stoves and fireplaces that can be used to supplement an existing heat source or to provide heat to an entire home. They can also be useful in supporting local industry. The three most common types of fuel for home stoves are corn, pellets and wood.
A corn stove uses fuel corn, which is a low-grade corn that has been rejected for use as food or as animal feed. These stoves use a hopper filled with corn that slowly feeds the fuel into a combustion chamber. Some of these stoves can burn others fuels as well, such as pellets. Pellets are created from a wide range of biomass products, but most commonly from sawdust. Pellet stoves work in the same manner as corn stoves.
Wood stoves have perhaps been in use the longest as a heat source and are still very popular today. Not only can they be independent, but wood stoves can be connected to a forced air heating system to distribute heat throughout the home. The one downside to a wood stove is that the fire needs to be tended manually.
An alternative heat source is a viable option in a struggling economy. While all of the systems discussed here require a financial investment, they also provide a financial benefit. More thorough research should be considered before making a decision, but it will be worth it.