Are you using alternative heating methods to heat your home? Alternative heating methods have gained in popularity as the prices of energy have been steadily rising. Consider solar power, geo-thermal heating, stoves, biodiesel fuels and corn stoves to as an alternative to your current heating systems.

Solar Power
Probably the most well known method for heating the home without using fossil fuels is solar power. Solar heating can be passive or active. Passive solar heating collects and stores sunlight using south facing windows to collect the heat from the sun and transfers it to a thermal mass surface to later use. This surface can be tile or concrete incorporated into flooring or walls. By contrast active solar heating uses a solar panel on the roof to collect the sun’s heat and then electric pumps to gather it and transfer it to where it is needed in the home. Both methods are able to save money on energy bills and produce none of the harmful emissions associated with conventional energy sources.

Geo-Thermal Heating
Another way to collect heat from a natural resource, this time underground, is to tap into the warmth from the earth under the home. This is known as geo-thermal heating. Underground piping filled with a fluid that absorbs the heat from the earth can be used to distribute the heat around the home. This is quiet and safe and very efficient as it is freely available like the sun‘s heat and can be fitted using existing pipe work.

Corn Stoves
Corn stoves which are becoming popular in many parts of the world. The stove is designed with a hopper on top into which you feed a bushel of corn which then gradually feeds the stove. As the corn burns, a fan distributes the heat out of the front of the stove and a thermostatic control enables you to turn it up or down. Assuming you have a ready supply of corn in your area, a corn stove can be fitted to your conventional fireplace and you will find it cleaner and easier to maintain than a wood stove.

Stoves
Many homes use stoves to supplement existing heating systems but by installing these in other rooms than just the living room, they can be the sole heat source instead. Stoves come in all shapes and sizes and many consider them to be more attractive than radiators giving a more homely feel to the room and a more overt sense of warmth than the radiator hidden behind a curtain. Stoves are usually fitted with a thermostat to control the heat output in the same way as a central heating system.

Biodiesel Fuels
Instead of burning oil in your stove consider burning biodiesel fuels. This is made from vegetable or animal fats and is completely bio-degradable and non toxic. There is only one practical consideration to evaluate when using this instead of oil, as it can’t be stored outside because it will gel in cold weather. On the plus side, having overcome the storage problem, you will find that it burns cleaner than oil and the stove wears better and needs less cleaning. In some parts of the world supply and cost can be an issue as supply tends to be focussed around the area where biodiesel feedstocks are grown but as demand increases for this renewable energy supply, these aspects will undoubtedly be addressed.

When considering alternative heating systems for your home, it is important to explore what supplies are readily available in your area. It could be that if you form a collective with some neighbours you could jointly buy your supplies and make a cost saving as well as making your order attractive to a supplier.

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