Home Heating Options
Home heating costs have doubled over the past ten years, now
representing 60% of the energy spent in Charlotte area homes. No one
can predict how high fuel costs will go, however we can be certain
of one thing - the costs will go up. It's anyone's guess which fuel
might be the better bargain in ten or twenty years, so it's tough to
shop for a heating system today without wondering if you've made the
right decision. Although we can't tell you which choice to make, we
can show you how the different fuels compare today.
Oil
Oil prices can be unpredictable; however fuel oil provides good
energy content, with efficiency ratings up to 86% with modern
equipment. If you decide to upgrade your furnace or boiler, you will
also need to install a stainless steel liner in your chimney. Older
oil burners can be fitted with a “flame retention head” to improve
efficiency, and regular tune-ups will also go a long way toward
lowering your fuel costs. Decorative oil-fired stoves and fireplaces
are available for space heating, and will work without electricity.
Oil-fired hot water tanks can heat water quickly and are often used
for in-floor heating, as well as hybrid hot water forced-air
systems.
Don’t heat with oil if you feel guilty about burning non-renewable
resources, or if you can’t afford unpredictable costs. A central
system will require ductwork or water piping, as well as a fuel oil
storage tank. Oil furnaces are priced lower than gas furnaces and
enjoy on average, a longer lifespan.
Natural Gas and Propane
Gas and propane are cleaner than fuel oil and provide odorless heat
with slightly lower energy content than oil. Gas prices are higher
than they once were, and the cost of heating with propane is even
higher. There is a greater availability of natural gas in more
densely populated areas, whereas propane is more often the choice in
rural locales where it is compressed and delivered by truck.
Both gases are popular choices for fireplaces, space heaters and
hot water
tanks, are clean and more convenient than wood-burning
fireplaces however, are about 25% less efficient than a gas furnace.
If you’re considering one of these high-priced fuels, shop for an
appliance that will provide the best return on your investment.
Always compare installed prices, energy-efficiency ratings and
warranties. As with oil-fired equipment, ductwork or water piping
will be required. Modern appliances vent directly to the outdoors
without need for a chimney.
Don’t heat with propane unless you have deep pockets, if you feel
guilty about burning a petroleum product or if you don’t want to see
a submarine-sized cylinder beside your house.
Electricity
Electricity is 100% efficient. Every ounce of power leaving your
electric panel is turned into heat at the furnace or space heater,
with no line loss and nothing wasted up a chimney or out a vent.
Electricity can be more expensive per unit of heat developed,
however the cost of installation is lower than with fuel-fired
heating equipment.
Although the equipment in your house may be 100% efficient,
electricity isn’t any greener than gas, oil or propane; in fact the
electricity you use may come from a coal-burning power plant.
Electric heat pumps are very efficient in more southerly latitudes,
however provide marginal benefit in northern areas where
temperatures are too low to extract heat from outside air, and a
backup furnace is required. Unlike electric furnaces or space
heaters, heat pump installations can be cost-prohibitive and the
lifespan of the equipment is relatively short.
Don’t heat with electricity if you don’t want to support the
operation of big power plants and other mega-power projects.
Wood
If you live in a well-treed rural area, heating with wood can be a
sensible choice. Wood is the cheapest of all fuels (you can save as
much as 70%) and is a renewable resource - however not without
drawbacks. Wood smoke can be a nasty source of air pollution unless
you dig deeper in your pockets and purchase a high efficiency stove;
they run up to about 75% efficiency when used properly. Wood-burning
furnaces rarely exceed 50% efficiency, and with much higher
emissions.
Don’t heat with wood if you don’t like chores, if you don’t have
plenty of storage space or if firewood isn’t readily available
nearby (trucking costs can really chew up your savings.) Don’t heat
with wood if you don’t want to pay an extra premium to your
insurance company, or if you have any respiratory problems; wood
heat will drastically lower the humidity in your home.
Other Considerations:
The size, design and insulating value of your home will have direct
impact upon your heating costs. Modern, well-insulated, air-tight
homes have much lower heat loss, and therefore require less fuel to
maintain comfortable indoor temperatures. The new generation of
“smart houses” require so little heat provision that it may not
matter which fuel you use – because you’ll use hardly any of it.
Setting thermostats lower will reduce costs. Zone-controlled heating
systems, and space heaters can also save a bundle… it doesn’t make
much sense to overheat your entire house in an effort to make one
person warm, in one corner of the basement.
Gil Strachan is a certified home inspector
representing Electrospec Home Inspection Services in east-central
Ontario, Canada. For more information about houses and home
inspections visit
http://www.allaroundthehouse.com
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gil_Strachan
If you are looking
for a Cabarrus County heating and air conditioning contractor please call
us today at 704-933-5262 or complete our
online request
form.
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