Alair Homes

When we think of alternative heating methods, we might be tempted to imagine a member of some ancient tribe feverishly rubbing sticks together or messing around with some archaic method of producing a spark to generate a campfire. However, modern technology has provided mankind with a plethora of methods to produce heat, leaving home-owners with a wide array of options to help them meet their annual home heating needs. Though most of us are familiar with being reliant on electricity as our primary energy source, the fact is that other viable alternatives exist and have become quite popular methods for generating heat. Be aware that with many of these alternative methods, it is often required that they be installed by a qualified professional to ensure their overall safety and compliance with regional laws and codes.

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Oil Heating Systems

A common alternative to electrical heating systems is to pipe oil to a home, providing fuel to burn for producing heat or running a stove. In recent years, this type of heating option has proven to be a tricky way to heat a home from a cost perspective, since the price of oil changes with the whims of the market. Also, since the cost of oil is higher in some regions than in others, this can produce greater financial strain on a home-owner, if demand in a given area causes the price of oil to spike throughout the winter.

Propane And Natural Gas

In some regions it is common for people to employ the use of natural gas and propane systems to heat their homes. These two methods are generally considered to produce clean burning heat, which makes them safer fuels for burning than other less clean burning options. However, not all propane heaters are intended for inside use. But, even still, a propane heater can make for a nice patio heat source. In addition, if the system is designed properly, such fuel sources can be used to accommodate multiple loads on the system, making such systems both cost effective and versatile at the same time. In other words, this means you can not only use these systems to heat your stove or run warm air through your home, but they can also be used to provide a home with warm water or for dryer use.

Radiant Heat System

 

Radiant heat is heat that gets transferred from one object to another. A common example of radiant heat is the sun delivering heat to the earth to heat up the earth. Many home-owners are turning to this style of heating option to improve the way their home is being heated. Unlike a furnace that vents the air to the upper part of the room, radiant heating systems generally heat the base wood of the floor with some type of electrical wiring, electric-mat, or tubing that carries heat through liquid that flows through the tubing after being boiled. This type of heating system can be used on its own or in conjunction with other heating methods, such as a geothermal heating system.

Renovating Your Home For Installing A Radiant Heating System

If a person is interested in installing a radiant heating system, it is generally considered best to do this at the time the home is built. However, it is certainly possible to remove the old flooring and either run the radiant heating electric cables or tubing in the air space beneath the new flooring or to have a concrete slab installed in the hollow space beneath the floor to hold the electrical cables or tubing in place. If a person decides to go with the tubing option for delivering hot liquid under their floor to heat their house, additional boilers will need to be installed for the purpose of warming the liquid being circulated through the tubing. Though the concrete slab method takes longer to install and is generally going to take longer to heat up in the winter, many people prefer this option because concrete can accommodate a much higher heat storage capacity, making the floors radiate warmth longer.

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