You don't have to live at either the North Pole or the South Pole to appreciate heat in the winter. They can generate carbon monoxide fumes that are odorless and deadly. Terms & conditions A type of furnace -- but not a forced-air furnace -- heat pumps work more like a central air conditioner in reverse during heating. As fossil fuels, that are likely to run out in the next 40 years, the prices of oil and LPG are ever rising. Heating and cooling account for as much as 54 percent of energy use in the average home, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. No matter which bio-mass-fueled heater you choose, you must keep your chimney clean and constantly consider your fuel source levels. Air source heat pumps Unvented gas heaters may be used outdoors to heat your patio or deck during parties or barbecues. Ground source heat pumps Heating your home without mains gas September 24, 2013 The Traditional Off-Gas Options. Electric boilers are 99-100% efficient as they don’t waste any of the electricity used to heat the water for central heating and hot water. Gas fireplaces feature special construction that gives them a much higher efficiency than old-fashioned wood fireplaces.

You don't have to live at either the North Pole or the South Pole to appreciate heat in the winter. While gas boilers are by far the most common home heating system across the UK, they’re not the only option. Solar PV panels generate renewable electricity for a home but solar thermal panels are a way of heating the water in a hot water cylinder for central heating and domestic hot water. Safer than gas, since there's no fuel combustion and resulting emissions, they're still expensive to purchase and install, and dependent on heating source costs (electricity in this case). They also cost less to purchase and install. Solar panels harness the sun in one of two manners: Photovoltaic panels convert the sun's rays to electricity while solar thermal panels use the heat in the sun's rays to warm up either water or another liquid solution. If you have the money, solar or wind-driven fuel sources can fuel any conventional heating system. Remember that you’ll space for a tank to store the fuel and arrange to have it delivered too.

Go Solar California: Frequently Asked Questions About... American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy: Heating, How to Add Heat to a Basement Remodeling Project, The Efficiency of Geothermal Heat Pumps Vs. Propane Furnaces.

You don't have to give up on furnaces to avoid using gas to heat your home.

Solar, especially, shows promise as a method to heat your home without consuming any fuel source -- the "greenest" power/heat source possible. The alternative heating methods for homes, outside of oil heating and LPG include other types of boiler – electric and biomass – as well as renewable heating systems such as solar thermal and air source or ground source heat pumps. The downside of biomass boilers is that burning wood emits carbon into the atmosphere but only as much as the tree absorbed during its life. Individual Room Heating and Air Conditioning Solutions, Heating Efficiency of Vented Gas Fireplaces, Problems With Installing an Above-Ground Pool Heater, The Greenest Dollar: Alternative Ways to Heat Your Home, Dr. Energy Saver: Hydronic Heating Systems, Missouri Division of Energy: Space Heaters. So, for anyone off the gas network, there are several alternatives to choose from: It’s also possible to combine a traditional heating system, such as an oil boiler, with a renewable heating system, known as a hybrid heating system. So, unlike oil and gas, it is a carbon neutral process.

Never use outdoor heaters as space heaters indoors. The biggest difference is how they obtain heat.

Boiler Guide is operated by Boiler Guide Limited. Combine this active solar power with passive solar methods, such as covering northern windows and allowing the sun to shine into the home on the south side, will heat your home efficiently and in an Earth-friendly manner.
While a heat pump can be the sole provider of a property’s central heating, they’re most efficient during the summer months. Boilers are particularly suited to solar power, although heat pumps and other furnaces are also available. Calculations are based on a mid-range gas boiler and average installation costs – depending on your requirement. If you want an even more efficient burner, consider a pellet stove. As we mentioned earlier, a more conventional heating system such as an oil boiler, can be paired with a heat pump to make a hybrid heating system. A ground loop pipe is buried around 15-150 metres underground circulating a water and antifreeze mixture that absorbs heat. While not always particularly convenient, any heater that uses biomass (plants and vegetation) as a fuel source will typically cost less to use in comparison to heaters that burn high-cost fossil fuels and electricity.

Oil boilers work in a similar way to gas boilers, with the same boiler types available (combi, regular and system), the only differences being that they burn oil rather than natural gas and a storage tank for the oil is needed. A hybrid system offers the familiarity of a traditional boiler while also giving the benefits of a renewable heating system. Electricity is the only fuel needed. © 2020 Boiler Guide So even if the table above shows an increase in your energy bills, the RHI payments should soon cover that difference. Keep in mind that gas fireplaces differ from gas logs, which are designed primarily for decoration and generate very little heat. Smaller units can warm a single room, while larger ones can replace central heating systems. Options for Heating a House With Gas. Karie Fay earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology with a minor in law from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Liquid petroleum gas (LPG) is a type of gas but unlike natural gas isn’t directly fed to the boiler, instead stored in a tank like oil. Highly efficient, hydronics rely on a boiler or water heater, fueled by oil, electricity or alternative fuels, to circulate heat through pipes instead of vents. Hydronic space heaters work well, although they cost more due to the networks of pipes required to deliver the heat from the boiler, hot water heater or other source. On average, however, oil is priced at around 55p per litre, while LPG sits at 65p per litre.

As you might guess, they’re more likely to be in rural areas, but many households in high-rise flats don’t have a mains gas supply. Gas-fired boilers burn natural gas to heat water or generate steam, which then is transported through a series of pipes or tubes to heat the home. Oil and natural gas are commonly used. There are various types of electric home heating, from whole-home furnaces to multifunction units that can provide heating as well as air-conditioning. Depending on where you live in the UK, the cost of oil and LPG will vary. Supplemental zone heating in way of portable heaters or installed baseboard heaters can also warm up some cold areas or enhance your main heating system. Cookies Energy Saving Trust: Ground Source Heat Pumps, Environmental Protection Agency: Pellet Stoves. Find the best boiler for your needs, or see how the latest A-rated boilers compare with each other and your existing one.
Biomass boiler

Review the options available and find an efficient electric heating source for your home. Electric baseboard heaters, while not portable like many other space heaters, are capable of heating even the largest homes. However, around 4 million homes across the UK aren’t connected to the gas network, so what are the alternatives? If you’re conscious of the impact your home is having on the environment, greener renewable heating systems are also available. The smarter way to find approved boiler engineers in your area. The Efficiency of Geothermal Heat Pumps Vs. Propane Furnaces, U.S. Department of Energy: Tips -- Heating and Cooling, NW Natural: NW Natural to Showcase the Innovative "Blue Home" at the Better Living Show, Citizens Energy Group: Buyer's Guide -- Natural Gas Heating System, Heating Alternatives to Supplement an Oil Furnace, Heating Efficiency of Vented Gas Fireplaces. The potential costs in the table above, don’t include the cost of installation which will also need to be considered. You need a reliable heating system for your home. Electricity can, of course, power many heaters.

Burning little nuggets of wood or even corn cobs, pellet stoves outperform fireplaces and even wood stoves, producing less smoke and dangerous creosote and heating fairly efficiently. Electric furnaces, for instance, work just as well. While this might seem like a rather dated way of heating a home, modern technology has brought the idea into the 21st century. Natural-gas furnaces heat the entire home using a network of ducts to distribute forced-air heat to each room. Something you can’t receive if you have an oil, LPG or gas boiler.

If the hot water or steam is pumped through a heat exchanger, they also can be used to generate forced-air heating, similar to a furnace. Gas fireplaces range from 7,000 to 60,000 Btu.

As well as being an accessible way for anyone living off the gas network to heat their property, there are a few more advantages to oil: While there are advantages to installing an oil boiler in to a house with no gas supply, there are some disadvantages that might make you want to consider an alternative heating system: LPG

Space heaters of various types remain a solid heating choice. After growing up in construction and with more than 30 years in the field, she believes a girl can swing a hammer with the best of them.

When you're cold, you're miserable, even in more moderate climates. After being heated by the ground, the liquid travels to a heat exchanger where its temperature is increased further before it is then circulated around the home to the central heating system.

Traditional wood fireplaces are vastly inefficient, and may actually feature a negative energy efficiency rating because they allow more heat from other sources to exit your house than they are able to generate. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc.

With the rising price of natural gas, some homeowners are changing to alternative heating methods. Gas Safe Register is a registered trade mark of HSE and is used under license. This is unlike gas and oil which often have an efficiency of around 92%, meaning that for every £1 spent on heating your home, 8p is wasted. Residential boilers generally use natural gas or heating oil for fuel.

What are the heating options for homes without gas? To keep energy costs in check, more than 57 percent of homes in the U.S. heat with energy-efficient natural gas. These heaters require a permanent vent or flue to the outdoors for safety, and often feature a blower or fan to distribute heat around the room. If you do live in one of these homes or you’re thinking of buying one, what are your heating options?

While heat pumps can still work in bitterly cold conditions, they’re most efficient during the summer. Electric-element-style heaters have an exposed element that can prove a burn hazard for young children or inquisitive pets. In steam boilers, which are much less common in homes today, the water is boiled and steam carries heat through the house, condensing to water in the radiators as it cools. Installed on the roof, solar thermal panels include tubes with fluid that absorbs heat from solar energy. Oil She enjoys "green" or innovative solutions and unusual construction. Try Boiler Guide today! The biggest drawback is it's the most expensive heating system to install. She received a bachelor's degree in economics and management from Goucher College in Towson, Maryland.