Your furnace is one of your home’s biggest energy consumers. Not only is it expensive, it increases your carbon footprint. Fortunately, there are plenty of natural heating solutions that can keep your home comfortable for a fraction of the cost and with far fewer emissions. Read on to learn about some of the best options.
- Solar heating. Much cheaper than a full solar panel, solar heating uses the sun’s thermal energy to warm the air directly rather than burning fuel. You can also get a solar water heater to provide you with hot water without using natural gas. The one drawback is that, unlike solar electricity, solar heat energy can’t be stored, meaning it only works in the daytime and must be supplemented at night with another heating method.
- Geothermal heating. A great natural heating method, geothermal heat pumps use the constant temperature below ground to provide your home with heat. Liquid runs through a loop of pipe buried underground, absorbing its heat energy. That heat is used to warm the air that circulates through your home. Expensive to install, a geothermal system will reduce your energy usage considerably and, given time, it will pay for itself.
- Biomass pellets. One way to heat your home is by lighting a fire. A pellet stove runs on biomass pellets made from sawdust and other recycled wood, with most of the moisture removed, so it burns better and more quickly than a fireplace. The stoves are designed to be clean and efficient, providing warmth with much less smoke or other exhaust than most standard methods.
- Underfloor heating. There are a number of ways to install heating beneath your floor, but if you’re looking for a natural heating method, choose one that includes stone. A heat source heats a layer of stone beneath your floor. It takes time for the stone to absorb the heat, but once it does, it retains it for hours or longer, even after the source is turned off.
For more energy-saving, natural heating and cooling options, contact us at Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company. We keep Yuma homes comfortable and efficient all year long.
