Home heating options

Posted on 13 May 2008

This is a guest article from our friends over at Home Heating Guide.

Energy bills can be staggering, especially in the winter months. Consider altering your household heating plan by evaluating the 3 primary available home heating options; under floor heating, central heating and solar water heating.

Are you tired of your high energy bill in the winter? Energy prices go up every year and while this is a part of your overall household expense, there are some options that you can leverage to reduce your overall monthly expense. There are several home heating options to consider using within your home. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, so carefully consider which option is the best for you and your household.

Under floor heating options have gained in popularity for heating homes. Energy prices are increasing every year and consumers are looking for alternative options to provide their much needed heating at affordable rates. An under floor heating system emits heat from the actual floor upwards in contrast to traditional heating systems which heat a room from the top down.

Under floor heating systems can be used with almost any current flooring system; tiles, hardwood, vinyl, linoleum and concrete are compatible. Consumers have two primary choices when they select this option. They can choose to install a hydronic or an electric floor heating system. Electronic floor heating systems use wiring while hydronic flooring systems use actual pipes that sit in the floor itself that have hot water running through them. Both are great options to consider for your home. The most attractive thing about this option is that it can drastically reduce your monthly energy bill.

Central heating systems are the most traditional home heating option. Central heating systems are normally powered by a boiler, most commonly this is a combi boiler. This type of system works to pump hot water through a system of pipes and radiators. A combi boiler will also supply instantaneous hot water on demand for domestic hot water.

Central heating is the most popular type of system within the UK due to it's relative low running cost and ability to accurately regulate temperature.

Solar hot water heaters are a relatively new option for home heating, but they are very effective at providing you with the heat that you need at affordable rates. A solar water heater generates heat with the help of the sun’s energy. The solar hot water system actually takes the heat from the sun, collecting them from panels placed on the exterior of the home, and stores it for later use.

The solar hot water system uses the energy that it has collected to heat the water as it flows through the pipes in a home. When these systems are installed properly, they can be the most economical way to provide heat within a household.