Practical Eco-Friendly Heating Alternatives

Going green on home heating is beneficial to the environment and financially favorable as well. There are a lot of eco-friendly and efficient alternatives that help lower expenses and lessen the pollution emitted. Here are the most practical ones.

Preparation and Winter-Proofing
Whatever approach is chosen, the first thing to do is getting a home ready for winter. Ready it to be more efficient so that energy requirement on heating is reduced. This also helps lowering the CO2 emission whether directly using fuels, or indirectly using electricity.

First, make sure the house is fully insulated that no heat escapes, and no cold air enters. Check if proper caulking is done on windowsills and other areas that might have holes, gaps, and crevices. A good insulation significantly reduces the loss of heat.

Next, choose an environmentally friendly heating method. However, the right type must be chosen in order to get the most out of it.

Wood Burning Fireplaces and Heaters
A wood burning fireplace is more eco-friendly than any heat source simply because uses using natural fuel. Cutting trees for wood is not that absolutely eco-friendly but you can get wood scraps from local wood harvester and make sure they are from a good source. More likely, this choice is still good for the environment.

Wood stoves are better alternative if you need something small and portable outdoor heater. They are great for outdoor spaces like patio, deck, or just in the backyard.

You can also get or create a fire pit or a fire bowl which are best for wood burning in the backyard or patio.

Biodiesel Fuel
Biodiesel is popular and promoted mostly as a green alternative fuel for diesel powered vehicles. However, it can also be used to fuel an oil-fired outdoor patio heater. It is made from vegetable oils or animal fats. Although it may emit vapors but unlike petroleum based oils, biodiesel is biodegradable, and non-toxic. A healthy gas based fuel.

Solar Heating Systems
We can harness the power of the sun as it shines during the day. There are a lot of ways to do it, some are DIY cheap ways and some are a bit expensive. However, this is highly beneficial both environmentally and financially in the end.

Solar heating is not about collecting the sunlight into electric power because it will not work. The best way is to collect the heat and bring it inside the house. The systems can be done at home as a weekend project. Plans shared by the generous netizens can be found online using “solar collector” or “solar grabber” keywords.

There is a more practical way to get the suns heat, but it only as good as the sun still shines above. The house is redesigned for a maximum sun intake through windows and transparent roof. However, this is only effective in areas where the sun still shines in winter.

Sweater
Simply, a good sweater is really an effective way to protect yourself from the chilling winter cold. You can simply add layers of extra clothing and socks to reduce the need of powerful heaters or fireplaces. In effect it also lowers your bills and energy consumption, an effective eco-friendly practice.

Sure there are a lot of eco-friendly ways to generate heat for comfort. These are just the practical ways but effective and efficient to make a better home.