Green Home Heating Systems

Home heating is a major source of pollution. Statistics say that in America winter heating emits four tons of greenhouse gases. Furthermore, half of the energy used at home is wasted. Those interested in reducing their carbon footprint should consider switching to green home heating systems. As a concept, green home heating systems mean heating the house, or retaining heat, more efficiently to avoid waste and/or source the energy from a renewable source whenever possible.

Solar heating is one of the most common types of green home heating systems. It is designed to reduce the need for conventional water heating by about two thirds, according to an estimate by the U.S. Department of Energy. Therefore it impacts positively on our dependency on fossil fuel and conventional electricity and mitigates a household�s impact on the environment. Usually, green home heating systems based on solar power have two parts: a solar collector and a storage tank. The collector heats the water and the heated water is held in the storage tank, ready for use. A conventional system co-exists with the solar system in order to provide any additional heating, when necessary.

There are active and passive green home heating systems. The former use electric pumps and controllers to circulate water. The latter rely on gravity and water�s natural tendency to circulate when heated. These are more reliable (due to the absence of electrical components), easy to maintain and they tend to last longer. Besides helping the environment, solar heating systems can also provide a source of financial savings. The U.S. Energy Policy Act implemented a 30% tax credit for consumers who install solar water heating systems. To quality for this tax break, the systems must be certified by the Department of Energy's non-profit partner, the Solar Rating & Certification Corporation (SRCC). However, in Florida and Hawaii residents can use their area�s own certification programs.

Besides solar, there are other simple green home heating systems. Sealing the leaks in the house is a good place to start. It is fairly easy: insulation strips or a tube of exterior silicone caulk are some of the materials needed for this task. To find the leaks, close all the windows on a breezy day and tour the house with a lit candle and note the spots toward which the flame sways. Also, cover the space between the doors and the floor with door sweep. Other ways to switch to green home heating systems are: Installing storm windows. These can produce dramatic heat loss reductions of up to 50% as it creates dead-air space inside the window. Spread the heat with a slow-rotating fan strategically positioned. Avoid overheating the house (a common mistake � each degree Celsius lower saves about 10% of energy). Lower the temperature once you�re tucked away under the blankets. Use programmable thermostats. For more tips, check out our free energy saving ebook.