A house with warmth is a home of comfort, and that is why heating your house is one thing you should make a priority. However, heating a home can get a lot of money out of your pocket; the estimated electric bill for that would range from 15 to 22 dollars a day. This could be pretty much of a weight to carry and to make it lighter, you need to find other ways of heating a home.
Now, because a household needs to make his house as beautiful as it can be on the outside and the inside, heating a home is a must. But does it really need to be electric?
The answer is a short NO.
Since there can be alternatives to electrically heating a home, how can you apply it? This whole blog post is dedicated to answering just that. As far as we have researched, there are plenty of ways to heat a home and the good news is, you can make use of them all.
Why is heating a home without electricity important?
The first reason has been already stated. It is to save money. Your electric bill is only one thing you need to pay monthly. There are also water bills, taxes, and possibly loans. You know what they say: “Money flies.”
Other than saving money, heating a home also benefits other aspects of people’s lives. In regions far from the equator, cold temperature is a major problem. Many places no so far from the equator still have low heat problems at certain times of the year, specifically in the season of winter.
More importantly, heating a home without electricity is very needed in case of emergencies. Say, for example, a storm. When you are warned about an upcoming to about to hit your area, you need to be ready. One way of doing that is by preparing things that would help you and your family be warm.
This is why heating a home is not just a want, it is a need.
What Are Some Alternative Ways of Heating a Home?
Making Firewood a Fuel for Heating
You can firewood for free in most rural or semi-rural regions. Do you know what this means? Making use of firewood as your fuel for heating means you are making heating that costs next to zero. Time is not a problem because you can gather enough wood for a few months in a few hours on a weekend or in your spare time.
Also, you need to note that there are some kinds of wood that’s more suitable for burning when compared to others. For instance, hardwood trees will burn hotter for a longer span of time, which means that you will spend less fuel. Softwood trees are not the best choices as they disappear fast when burnt.
To generate heat using firewood, you can make use of a number of ways. Below are methods you can use to heating a home with firewood.
Fireplaces. The fireplace is the oldest way of heating a home known to man. Sadly, since they are relatively unfit compared to other home heating systems, they are not broadly used in our modern world. Still, it is a fact that in the winter season, one of the best feelings is sitting next to the fireplace with a tea or coffee on hand.
Wood furnaces. Wood furnaces are placed outside the house, and typically only require to be refilled once a day. The heat they produce is then transported with ventilation ducts to be taken inside the house.
Wood stoves. Wood stoves are by far the most common method of heating a home using firewood as fuel. It involves installing a single wood stove at a strategic position inside your house. Also, wood stoves are very handy, because they can be utilized to cook food, boil water, and to heat water for bathing.
Heating a Home with Power and Heat Generators
Just like firewood, heaters and power generators also have a range of ways in heating a home. The variety of ways depend on the types of fuel available. Below are the common types of fuel used for heating a home.
Kerosene. In many areas, kerosene heaters are very known, particularly for emergency or supplemental heating uses. This type of fuel is relatively good for the environment. However, when you use kerosene, you need to apply proper ventilation and an effective carbon monoxide detector. This is because kerosene can still potentially create carbon monoxide.
One thing you need to check is if local building codes restrict or monitor the use of kerosene heaters. Before buying a kerosene heater, know this information first.
Gasoline or Diesel. These two types of fuel are very efficient in many things it can be applied to. In heating a home, it’s still the same. However, when burnt, they produce large amounts of carbon dioxide and other pollutants. We also don’t advise this because they are non-renewable sources of energy.
Biofuels. These types of fuels are a more renewable source of energy compared to gasoline and diesel. Still, they emit more or less the same impact of gasoline and diesel.
Coal. This heating method is traditional heating fuel. But it still is not advisable as it also gives off toxic gases.
Animal Dung. Don’t let its name fool you. Heating a home with animal dung is no crap. Making use of animal dung as a fuel to produce heat is the most renewable alternative. Even in the present age of fossil fuels, it is practiced by millions of people around the globe.
Turning Solar Power to Home Heater
In our modern era, solar power is gaining its popularity. One way that it helps is by heating a home. The principles of solar power are close to those of electricity. Its process converts heat from the sun into electric power.
Solar panels are set in places where it’s hit directly by sunlight. Then, the energy it gets is stored in batteries. Its energy is then connected to appliances for heating a home. The power can still be used during the night.
That is why simply clearing the curtains covering the windows that face south through the day can let the heat from the sun to warm your home. One thing you could also do is to build or obtain passive solar heaters to boost the heat production.
There are also dense materials you can use to manipulate heat from the sun. In heating a home, you can use stuff like stone or concrete indoors. These materials need time to adapt to temperature changes. The heat they will gain in the daytime will be slowly discharged in the evening.
Heating a Home with Natural Gas
Numerous propane or gas-fired forced-air furnaces will not work with no electricity, even models that use pilot lights, because they need the blower fan to spread the heat. But there are also some steam or hot water boilers that work without electric power. Still, in many cases, you will need to depend on other ways of heating.
That’s why you can have the models of wall-mounted space heaters that can use propane or natural gas as fuel. Some may have optional fans for circulating the heated air that needs electric power, but the majority of the versions are not dependent on electricity.
The best choice for you is externally vented wall heaters. They are best for you as they let the combustion gases to exit the home by the flue or vent. Just like kerosene, natural gas also needs to be properly ventilated because of its carbon monoxide emissions. You also need to check your local building codes before you establish propane or natural gas heaters.
Using Compost for Heating a Home
Did you think that the animal dung idea was bizarre? Well, think again. Using compost in heating a home may sound crazy to many people, but its purpose as an alternative for electric power is very exceptional. Its effects are very sustainable and thus, it is environmentally friendly.
Even its principle is very uncommon. As compost undergoes decomposition, it produces heat. As it decomposes, you can get its heat in some way and lead to your home for warmth. One way you could do that is by running water pipes through your compost heap.
Other Simple Ways
For lighting, you can make use of candles and lamps. The lamps should be fueled by lamp oil. Also, you can use rechargeable solar lights or lights powered by disposable batteries. The only downside to lamp oil and batteries are their costs. In long-term situations, they can get expensive. That is why you should only reserve these options for temporary uses. For short-term purposes, you can also benefit from portable generators. In some situations, they can be used to fire up the central heating system.
Conclusion
There are many situations or even locations in which people need the warmth of their homes. Sure electricity can be heating a home, but the cost can also burn a hole in your pocket. That’s why alternatives for electric power is a necessity. The suggested ways above are only your choices to make. There are some things we do not recommend because they can harm our environment. But there are more positive ways we presented to help you make a better decision.
