Everyone needs to stay warm in the winter, but if you’re trying to reduce your carbon footprint, what are your options? It can be frustrating to try and manage your heating needs while avoiding the types of heating that contribute to environmental issues.
Fortunately, there are a number of ways to stay warm without ruining the environment. Let’s look at what your options are.
Electrical Heat
Did you know that electric heating is better for the environment than gas heating? The main reason for this is that more and more of the energy grid relies on renewable power sources. With the grid using wind and solar power, electricity is actually much better for the environment than it was just a few decades ago.
Electric heat still isn’t the most eco-friendly choice, but if you are limited in what you can do at the moment, this is still a good alternative to coal or oil heat, as well as gas. Gas may be the cleanest of the fossil fuels, but it still has a huge impact on the environment.
Ground Source Heat Pumps
Considered the most eco-friendly method of heating your home, this system simply pulls heat from the earth. The ground, after a certain point, is the same temperature throughout the year. This is tapped into by using a geothermal heating system. It transfers the warmth of the ground into your home and while this is usually not warm enough for most people, you can then expend very little energy warming the air to a comfortable temperature.
Air Source Heat Pumps
Like ground source heat pumps, these use heat from the air outside and transfer it to the interior of the home. Again, this may not be hot enough for everyone, so backup heat is a good idea. The method uses pipes that absorb the heat from the air and send it through the home as hot air or by heating water and keeping it pumping through the house. Both air and ground heat pumps can also cool the home in the summer, so you get a heating and cooling system for the same price.
Biomass Boilers
A biomass boiler is designed to burn organic material. This is usually wood, which is carbon neutral, thanks to trees absorbing carbon while they’re growing. The biomass boiler is quite low carbon and emits less CO2 than gas or oil when burned. This eco-friendly system is quite efficient and a good way to provide heat and hot water for an entire building. Usually, the water is heated by the boiler and then sent through the building via radiators and pipes under the floor to provide heat throughout the home.
Solar Heat
You can use solar energy to heat your home in one of two ways. First, solar energy may be collected and that electricity is used to power electric heat in the building. This is not quite as efficient as using solar heaters which warm water in the sunlight and then pump it through the building and heat it via radiators. Both methods are good, but they are less useful when there’s little sun to warm them.
Which Method Should You Choose?
With so many choices, which option is best for your building? That depends greatly on your personal preference, but other factors are also at play. For example:
- Budget: How much money you have to spend will drastically affect which option you choose. Heat pumps tend to be more expensive than electric, for example, particularly when starting out. The initial investment can be daunting. Depending on your budget, you may need to go with a lower cost choice to begin with.
- Location: If you live in a cold area, an air heat pump may not be the best choice. Likewise, if it is usually rainy and gloomy in your area, a solar heater may not function as well as another option. Consider your location and surrounding temperature carefully before making a choice.
- Rentals: For those who are only renting, it may be too much to set up a whole new heating system. In these cases, you may be better off with a biomass boiler, which your landlord is more likely to install. As a tenant, you may not be able to choose the option you want the most.
Each step you take to reduce your carbon footprint makes a difference, but it’s not just heating and cooling your home that you need to think of. There are many other things that will help you become more independent and keep your carbon footprint as small as possible.
Other Ways to Make Your Home More Eco-Friendly
There are so many ways to lower your carbon footprint in your home, regardless of the heating situation. Once you’ve managed to lower the carbon emissions caused by staying warm, you should consider the following options:
Smart Meters
These can be installed in your home as a replacement for your regular electric meter. With a smart meter, you can keep an eye on your energy usage and take steps to reduce the amount you use. It’s possible to program your meter to shut off at certain times of the day so you can save even more money and energy, but even if you just use it to monitor things, you’ll know when you use the most energy and how to reduce your energy usage.
Add Insulation
A well-insulated home is one that uses less energy. There is nowhere for the heat to go, so you will stay cosy and warm without worrying about constantly using energy to keep the heat level up. Attics are one of the worst offenders when it comes to heat escaping the house, so an extra layer of insulation in the attic can go a long way toward making your home more energy-efficient and eco-friendly. Your windows may also need to be replaced with double glazed windows to prevent heat from escaping that way, as well.
Consider Underfloor Heating
Radiators tend to heat the area around them and the air gets cooler the further you are from the radiator. This uneven heating can be difficult to deal with and many people end up turning the heat up higher to compensate for the cold spots. Underfloor heating heats evenly and since it is coming from the lowest point possible, the heat rises evenly to give you the warmth you need at a lower temperature. This can result in using less energy to warm your home overall.
Use Green Cleaners
Another way to keep your home eco-friendly is to use green cleaners when you work around the house. Keep toxic chemicals away and you’ll find that the green options clean just as well and there’s no reason to worry about pets or children getting ill from the fumes.
If you’ve ever cleaned a radiator with a chemical infused cleaner, you know how many fumes are released when it heats up. With an environmentally friendly cleaning option, that won’t happen.
There are so many ways to keep your home warm and cosy without ruining the environment. Taking steps to keep your heating system eco-friendly and planning to reduce your carbon footprint can be rewarding for all involved.
Over time, you’ll use less energy heating your home than if you used the old systems. Just updating your boiler is often an improvement and more eco-friendly, even if the fuel remains the same. The better the efficiency, the more likely you are to continue.
Are you in need of a low-carbon heating system for your home? Contact Mitchells today for a quote.