Solar heating systems for your house

As energy costs rise, more and more people are looking to solar heating systems for energy-efficient heating and to provide other energy needs. There are two types of solar systems available: passive and active.

What's the difference?

Both types of systems work by absorbing the sun's heat and then releasing it to heat the home and (with active solar systems) sometimes the water supply as well. Passive solar heating systems absorb the sun's heat, but there's no mechanical heating device present in this type of system. Passive solar heat is simply absorbed and then slowly released as "radiant" heat in order to heat the home itself. Some elements of passive solar heating systems include large windows, brick walls, and stone flooring. These materials are great at absorbing and then slowly releasing the sun's heat, to maintain a continual temperature within the home.

What's most important is that there be a system of air movement or "natural convection" that utilizes the way air behaves in general to make a solar heating system most effective with this type of energy-efficient heating. For example, because lighter warm air rises and heavier cold air "falls," the conduction system makes the most efficient use of this pattern. Natural circulation itself can be enough as long as doors are left open between rooms so that the air can circulate. However, fans can also be used to help circulate the air.

Active solar systems are much more complex, but also generate more heat. They cost more to set up and to maintain, since there is actual mechanical involvement. There are two basic types of active systems. These are known as either air or liquid systems. Liquid systems utilize water or antifreeze to collect, transfer and store heat from the sun, produced by "hydronic" collectors. Air systems utilize air as the medium to collect, transfer, and store the heat from the sun. In general, liquid systems are more economical to operate, and they also take up less space. However, air systems have an advantage in that they can produce more heat over a season than a liquid system can. And if they leak, they're not as messy to fix as liquid systems are. However, if you do find you have a leak in your system, you should get it fixed right away even if your air system won't quite have the same nasty repercussions as liquid system would, because it can significantly affect performance.

Active solar heating systems can also be used in capacities besides heating the home, such as heating a pool or the home's water supply. Again, as with home heating needs, it's not likely that your entire home's supply of hot water will be provided with your solar heating system, but you can expect to have roughly 50 to 80% of your needs met.

Both air and liquid solar systems are typically installed on the roof, but they can be installed on the ground or on the wall, depending on the home's position, for best solar collection.

In general, passive solar systems are best installed in homes that are newly built specifically to capture the sun's energy, because you can utilize materials and the house's position to the sun for the best effect. Active systems are best utilized if a home is to be retrofitted in order to utilize solar heat.

With both types of solar energy, you should not expect that your conventional energy usage will vanish entirely, so that you can be "off grid" as far as your heating requirements go. Rather, you should expect substantial savings. You can expect to save anywhere from 40 to 80% on your current heating bills, depending on your home's age, its position to the sun, and whether or not it had to be retrofitted with a solar heating system.

New homes built specifically with solar heating systems incorporated will generally do better with overall savings and performance. However, this shouldn't stop you from retrofitting if you do have an older home, as your energy savings can still be substantial. In addition, of course, you'll be doing the earth a big favor by cutting down on your own use of fossil fuels and other global warming villains, for energy-efficient heating.

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Finding an Alternative to Fossil Fuel

Nowadays, many people are concerned about finding an alternative to fossil fuel in order to continue living our lives that we presently enjoy. There are so many abstract opinions about potential alternatives that one can spend a great deal of time considering all the options available to mankind.

With just a small amount of research, one can find out that approximately 90% of the energy that the earth uses comes from fossil fuels. While these fossil fuels are continually used, their stores are being depleted and also have a direct effect on the environment that some say is irreversible. Smog, greenhouse gasses, acid rain and global warming are not positive contributing by-products of using fossil fuels and for this reason, many seek alternative measures for the goodness of mankind and our planet.

Coal: This resource is abundant in many parts of the world, extremely cheap and easy to transport, and can be mined with simple methods as it has been done in the past. It has been the main source of energy for many parts of the world today, and liquid fuel can be made from coal. Unfortunately, it does take energy for this liquid fuel process, more than should be necessary. When finding an alternative to fossil fuel, coal is extremely polluting, much more than oil or natural gas, contributing to smog, acid rain, mercury pollution and the greenhouse effect. Most coal cannot be mined for energy resources since it contains too much sulfur and produces too much solid waste from production. Coal is not efficient in the sense that oil is needed in order to mine it and only a small amount; approximately 35% of its energy can be transformed into electrical energy.

Natural Gas: The advantages of this resource are abundant, clean burning, producing less greenhouse gasses than oil; convenient for heating, and easy transportation are just some of the many positive effects of natural gas. If natural gas is the answer for finding an alternative to fossil fuel, one will have to examine the negative aspects of this option. Gas wells drain quickly unlike oil that will continue to produce for decades on end, it is extremely flammable and is likely not the solution that environmentalists are looking for.

Nuclear Power: There is much heated debate on the subject of nuclear power that many feel quite strongly about. On the positive side, nuclear power is cheap, produce no smog, and can be situated close to consumers. When finding an alternative to fossil fuel, the negative aspects of nuclear power are the topics of today with environmentalists. The waste from nuclear power plants last thousands of years, without any real set way on how to dispose of the hazardous waste.

These are just 3 alternatives that the government and scientists have looked into for finding an alternative to fossil fuels. Others such as wind power, tar sands, nuclear fusion, methane hydrates, and even solar energy have their positive and negative aspects to each one, making the decisions for alternatives not an easy matter.

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Find the alternative fuel that suits your needs

Alternative fuel is the way of the future. If you haven’t begun changing your home over, now is the time to take this into consideration. The dependence that the world has on oil is very worrisome especially with oil reserves beginning to deplete around the globe. But there are other options out there and contrary to what others believe, it can be beneficial and easy to switch to these sources. While just a decade or two ago it was unheard of to most people, today alternative heating, electricity and other needs can readily be met.

What is Alternative Fuel?

To some, the expression alternative fuel is a turn off but it shouldn’t be. The only stipulation to a fuel that is considered to be alternative is that it be something that isn’t reliant on or made from a fossil fuel. The realization here that many fossil fuels will run out is necessary. The good news is that there are different options for the needs that you have. The most well-known include alternatives like solar power, wood heating, wind power, and water power. Each of these works by using things that are renewable in or on the Earth unlike that of oil.

Which Alternative Is Right For You?

There is more than one alternative fuel available today. You can select to use a combination of methods. Here are some things to consider when looking into various types of alternatives.

The cost: Above anything else, you need to know what it will cost you to install and use a given type of alternative fuel in your home. Some things are expensive. For example, to use radiant floor heating coils may need to be placed under the floor boards of a home, which can be a costly construction project. But, make sure you look at the long term benefits of doing that type of work as it may pay for itself in the long run.

Availability: Some products are hard to come by or they are just hard to maintain. For example, depending on where you live, if you purchase a stove using corn, it may be a bit more difficult to find in comparison to finding a heating oil contractor. Again, it may still be well worth it to consider.

Your lifestyle: Some types of alternative fuel do require some adjustment on your part. While you may need to make decisions on these things, you are sure to see that these simple lifestyle changes can pay off in the long run and really turn into small things for the benefits they offer as alternative fuel sources.

Without a doubt, the environment needs us to consider alternative types of fuels for our daily lives. No matter which type of fuel you do use, realize that you are benefiting yourself in your pocket as well as in the air you breathe in. Take the time to look into the options available to you that will suit your own needs.

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Find Free Geothermal Home Heating Guide Resources

Geothermal home heating is a wonderful concept. It involves the use the heat that is stored in the earth to provide the heat for your home. Geothermal heating involves a larger startup cost than most home heating remedies; however based on its environmental friendliness as well as its lack of use of fossil fuels and more efficient in the long run. Of course one must take into consideration the amount of work that will be required in order to heat your home in this way. However once that bridge has been crossed and the initial cost has been taken care of, one will be able to sit back and enjoy the benefits geothermal heating and cooling.

When considering geothermal home heating the first thing that one must realize is that it is much easier to partake in this venture when doing new construction as opposed to adding it on to an existing structure. Reason being is that you want to have the pipes that will be running underground for your heat to be located under the structure that they will be heating since that would produce the shortest route for the fluid to travel when heating the home. The primary design for this type of system is known as the closed loop and requires that the pipes under the home be buried at least 2 meters or 6 feet in order for you to get the most efficiency from your geothermal home heating unit. The pipes would then run through your home and through a heat pump to provide the heat to your home. You could of course also use a blower system as well to help in the distribution of the heat. In this closed loop system the pipes are all connected and form a continuous loop throughout the home. The fluid contained in the loop would be a mixture of water and antifreeze in order to help maintain the flow.

One could also install thermostats throughout as well as shutoffs in the system to aid in the direction of where the heat flow would go in the geothermal home heating system. In essence the thermostats would be used as regulators to determine if the room required more fluid pumping through it or if the flow could stop and the heat pump would not be required to work as hard. You see the water or fluid that is running through the system would only reach 55 degrees F when passing through the ground. This would require that an additional source be used to aid in heating the fluid in your geothermal home heating unit as well.

In essence the geothermal home heating system is simple yet expensive to install. It can be very cost effective for all seasons as well. Reason being that the temperature 6 feet down is consistently 55F so therefore there would not be any real cooling costs in the summer however that would offset the need for and additional source of heat for the water in the geothermal home heating system in the winter.

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Advantages of an Outdoor Corn Boiler

Have you considered getting an outdoor corn boiler? With heating costs rising and concern about use of petroleum for heat and energy production, it's no wonder that more people are beginning to wonder about alternative options for heating their homes. One lesser known heating method is the corn boiler. These outdoor heaters burn renewable fuels, such as wood pellets or feed corn, and offer a cost-effective, energy efficient, and safe alternative to standard heating methods. However, it's important to install and operate your furnace correctly and according to the recommendations of the manufacturer if you want to get these benefits. Operating an outdoor boiler inappropriately can lead to greater emissions and pollution. However, when installed and used correctly, this alternative heating option can offer significant benefits. For instance, since outdoor corn boilers are located outside, the risk of a fire inside the home is eliminated. As well, the possibility of smoke and carbon monoxide buildup that comes with indoor wood burning isn't a problem. Outdoor corn boilers are also inexpensive. People who own outdoor furnaces can find themselves paying a quarter to half as much for heat, depending on fuel cost. Most outdoor furnaces don't need to be loaded often. Once or twice a day is common for versions that burn wood, and those with corn hoppers can sustain their heat for days on one load of wood. Some people have even managed to maintain heat for two weeks without having to refill their outdoor corn boiler.

Outdoor furnaces also offer a more even heat than wood stoves. This is because a thermostat controls the heat they produce. Fireplaces and wood stoves are notorious for hot spots and cool spots. Using an outdoor corn boiler removes this problem entirely, as the heat from the furnace enters the home via water radiators or forced air. It's important to remember that even efficient methods of heating like outdoor corn boilers can be affected by outside factors. For instance, inefficient windows and doors, colder outside temperatures, cold air entering the furnace, and poorly insulated buildings are all capable of decreasing furnace efficiency. These problems can be rectified by insulating the buildings that are being heated, installing efficient windows and doors, and keeping cold air out of the furnace.
There are many myths about corn and wood furnaces that prevent people from using them. You might have heard that burning corn or wood is bad for the environment. In fact, these fuels are carbon neutral – burning them doesn't cause a net increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Heating with these resources also reduces our dependence on fossil fuels, such as oil, which do cause a net increase in emissions. Heating an average home with wood can save sufficient nonrenewable fossil to operate a car for a whole year. People have also said that outdoor furnaces provide a nuisance and have greater particulate emissions than regular wood burners. While this can be true if the owner of these stoves is irresponsible, the same can be said of cars and of standard wood stoves. A properly installed and operated outdoor corn or wood boiler has emissions that are comparable or less than wood stoves. New EPA guidelines mean that outdoor boilers are cleaner than ever.

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