Alternative Heating Solutions for the 21st century and beyond
An information hub for alternative heating systems such as passive and active solar designs, low-emission stoves and geothermal systems.
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Since 2005, this site has grown quite a bit, and we could say that it has grown a bit out of control: over 300 pages, dozens of contributors, articles that are not always indexed in an optimal manner... the list goes on. That's why we recommend that first time visitors use the search field above - you will instantly get to see which pages of the site have your key words in them. That will certainly save you time!
Alternative-Heating.com was born out of a question: 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, like in a parabolic solar steam boiler, for instance. 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 residential 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.
Alternative stoves using
corn, wood, and wood pellets have recently seen a huge rise in popularity as people seek alternative heating methods that can support local industry and that aren't imported from abroad. 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.
Recent news
Environmentally Friendly Heat For Your Home Hamptons.com By Anne Halpin Southampton - Even though we've had a fairly mild winter so far, we've still got to heat our homes. With the price of heating oil skyrocketing, it might be time to consider alternative ways to heat the house. Solar panels are expensive …
How Even Alternative Energy Could Threaten the Planet Wall Street Journal (blog) Whatever you use energy for, it almost all ends up as waste heat. Much of the electrical energy that powers your mobile phone or computer ends up heating the circuitry, for instance. The rest gets turned into radio waves or light, which turn into heat …
Top Climate Scientist on Need for Clean Energy Action CleanTechnica Most proposed schemes to artificially restore Earth's energy balance aim to reduce solar heating, eg, by maintaining a haze of stratospheric particles that …
New home to be heated by non-fossil fuel sources Glens Falls Post-Star Kline and a crew of 16 are building a home off Shallow Creek Road, which will use solar and geothermal energy rather than a fossil fuel powered furnace. The plan within the next two years is for it to be a net-zero energy building, which means it will …
Couple experiments with alternative nighttime lighting, heating for a month Montgomery Advertiser "This black box (convection oven) is placed on top of the wood stove, and it gets up to 150 degrees," she said. "I've cooked sweet potatoes, baked potatoes, soup and stew. Everything is prepared without electricity." As 2012 began, so did Annie and Jay ...
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.
Hydronic Heating Systems - A Better Way To Heat? This articles discuss the many advantages of hydronic heating systems over traditional appliances such as oil furnaces or electric baseboard heaters.
Solar Water Heaters Thanks to solar water heaters, families around the world are saving hundreds of dollars per year on heating costs.
Alternative Home Heating As the cost of energy keeps rising, more and more individuals are looking for alternative home heating answers. Yet, what options are there for people?
Outdoor Wood Furnace An outdoor wood furnace can ensure your home stays toasty warm even during the coldest winter nights, but many would-be furnace owners find themselves confused to how the system works.
Propane Stoves for Home Heating In addition to using propane stoves for home heating, you can use propane to as the fuel of choice for a hot water heater.
Pellet Stoves: Great for Alternative Fuels Pellet stoves are produced in a wide variety of styles, from the sleek and modern creations to the elegant, old world styles.
Antique Wood Stoves at Alternative-Heating.com Antique wood stoves are valuable not just because of their age and rarity, but also because they are as relevant today as they were a century ago.
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.
The Benefits of Gel Fuel Fireplaces and Pellet Stoves Gel fuel fireplaces and pellet stoves are two of the most popular alternative heating methods on the market today. Let's break down the pros and cons associated with each to help you decide.
Alternative Industrial Space Heating As energy prices keep increasing, business owners will be more and more tempted to look for alternative industrial space heating solutions.
Alternative Heating Systems Videos These alternative heating sytems videos feature several methods that can be as alternative solutions to conventional heating systems relying on fossil fuels or electricity.
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