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Alternative Heating Solutions |
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| Recent news |
Sales of wood, pellet, corn stoves heat up
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
Jervis said people shouldn't expect to walk out the door with their new wood stove: "You've got to wait for it a few months." The demand for wood-burning
Breaking free of oil: Home powered with geothermal energy
Stamford Advocate - Stamford,CT,USA
By Richard Lee Joe Comerford and Lynne Kudzy are heating their 50-year-old house on Sawmill Road in North Stamford with a geothermal system they said will
Solar thermal technology heats up
EETimes.com - USA
For residential, business and other lower-temperature applications, solar thermal could be used to heat water as well as for space heating.
Energy-efficient living
TheChronicleHerald.ca - Halifax,Nova Scotia,Canada
"It takes the warm air, either from the wood stove or from the sun, and it circulates it into the floor, where its stored, and then it circulates it back
Warming to wood
Berkshire Eagle - Pittsfield,MA,USA
A modern wood stove can hit the wallet anywhere between $1500 to $8000, plus $1000 or more for installing a new hearth pad, chimney,
Ridgefield couple uses ground to heat and cool home
Ridgefield Press - CT, USA
I think oil is going to continue to go up, and I think the further oil goes up the more precious the geothermal system becomes.
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How high must heating oil prices climb before consumers demand change? The sharp rise in interest for alternative heating methods would suggest that we have reached that point. The time to look for smarter, cleaner ways to heat homes is now. With systems such as solar heating, geothermal heating, and alternative stoves becoming more affordable and available, many are turning away from fossil fuels, and toward healthier, more dependable energy sources.
Solar Heating Systems can be either passive or active. Passive solar heating relies on building design to collect and hold sunlight. Passive solar homes have large, south-facing windows and thermal mass surfaces. Thermal mass is an absorptive material such as tile, concrete, or even water, which collects and stores heat for later use. The thermal mass can be incorporated into flooring or walls. Active solar heating systems consist of solar collectors, heat pumps, exchangers, storage tanks, and controls to gather, transfer, and disburse heat throughout a home. Active systems rely on electricity to move the gathered heat from the solar collector through the home. Both alternative heating methods use a completely renewable source (the sun) to provide warm air and hot water to homes. No harmful emissions are produced, and significant monthly savings can be seen with implementation.
Geothermal heating systems use the Earth's heat as a source of warmth for homes. Because the temperature of the Earth remains constant just below the surface, underground piping can be installed with a fluid to absorb the heat. The fluid is then pumped into the home where a heat exchanger extracts the warmth, and a fan then distributes the heat throughout the home. This alternative heating method is extremely quiet, safe, and very efficient. Existing ductwork can be used, making this an ideal system to retrofit into any home. Like a solar heat system, the heat source for a geothermal heating system will never run out, and is readily available at any given time.
Corn, wood, and pellet stoves have recently seen a huge rise in popularity as people seek alternative heating methods that can support local industry. Wood and corn can be grown locally, and are a much more affordable commodity than heating oil, or even natural gas. Although many people install these stoves to supplement existing conventional heaters, often the alternative stove provides enough heat for the entire home. Many of these stoves are direct vent systems, meaning that no additional venting system or chimney is needed. One major advantage that alternative stoves offer is convenience. Because they range in size and capacity, a stove can be found to fit in most rooms of any home. The fuel is easily stored, and the stoves are effortlessly controlled with thermostats.
Competition among alternative heating companies is driving prices down, and making companies more motivated to please their customers. The federal government is even lending a hand, and offering certain tax credits for the purchase of solar heating systems, and geothermal systems as well. It is time to take advantage of the superior systems available, even if that means taking an unconventional approach at heating and cooling your home. Everyone stands to benefit.
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Related links:
The U.S. Green Building Council:
www.usgbc.org.
Staying Warm in an Unheated House:
University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
Home Power Magazine - A reference about alternative heating:
www.homepower.com.
The Healthy Sense Directory - An excellent source of organized health information.
Home Remodeling and Improvement Center - Remodeling your home? How about looking at some home improvement ideas? Simply consult our free 5-step home remodeling guide for home remodeling plans and home improvement ideas.
Artenato web directory - An alternative Web directory.
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| Wood Stoves for Home Heating Get quality information about wood stoves suitable for any space. |
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| Passive solar home plan at Alternative-Heating.com Each passive solar home plan can be viewed by clicking on the images. |
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| Outdoor Wood Stoves at Alternative-Heating.com This articles deals with things that you should know when looking for outdoor wood stoves. |
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| Outside Wood Stoves at Alternative-Heating.com This article explains the working of outside wood stoves and provides tips for prospective buyers. |
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| Radiant floor heating basics Things you should know if you're considering a radiant floor heating system. |
| Home Insulation Solutions at Alternative-Heating.com This informative article deals with the nuts and bolts of home insulation. |
| Geothermal Heating and Cooling at Alternative-Heating.com This article covers the nuts and bolts of geothermal heating and cooling systems. |
| Resources at Alternative Heating.com A compilation of home improvement web resources. |
| Contributors wanted at Alternative-Heating.com Contributors wanted to submit articles about alternative heating systems such as solar heating design, pellet, wood or corn stoves, and geothermal energy. |
| Alternative Heating News Archives - November 2007 Alternative heating News archives for November 2007 |
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| Alternative Heating News Archive - December 2007 Alternative Heating News Archive for December 2007 |
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