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Home Heating Options
Home heating costs have doubled over the past ten
years, now representing 60% of the energy spent in Dayton area homes. No
one can predict how high fuel costs will go, however we can be certain
of one thing - the costs will go up. It's anyone's guess which fuel
might be the better bargain in ten or twenty years, so it's tough to
shop for a heating system today without wondering if you've made the
right decision. Although we can't tell you which choice to make, we can
show you how the different fuels compare today.
Oil
Oil prices can be unpredictable; however fuel oil provides good energy
content, with efficiency ratings up to 86% with modern equipment. If you
decide to upgrade your furnace or boiler, you will also need to install
a stainless steel liner in your chimney. Older oil burners can be fitted
with a “flame retention head” to improve efficiency, and regular
tune-ups will also go a long way toward lowering your fuel costs.
Decorative oil-fired stoves and fireplaces are available for space
heating, and will work without electricity. Oil-fired hot water tanks
can heat water quickly and are often used for in-floor heating, as well
as hybrid hot water forced-air systems.
Don’t heat with oil if you feel guilty about burning non-renewable
resources, or if you can’t afford unpredictable costs. A central system
will require ductwork or water piping, as well as a fuel oil storage
tank. Oil furnaces are priced lower than gas furnaces and enjoy on
average, a longer lifespan.
Natural Gas and Propane
Gas and propane are cleaner than fuel oil and provide odorless heat with
slightly lower energy content than oil. Gas prices are higher than they
once were, and the cost of heating with propane is even higher. There is
a greater availability of natural gas in more densely populated areas,
whereas propane is more often the choice in rural locales where it is
compressed and delivered by truck.
Both gases are popular choices for fireplaces, space heaters and hot
water tanks, are clean and more convenient than wood-burning fireplaces
however, are about 25% less efficient than a gas furnace. If you’re
considering one of these high-priced fuels, shop for an appliance that
will provide the best return on your investment. Always compare
installed prices, energy-efficiency ratings and warranties. As with
oil-fired equipment, ductwork or water piping will be required. Modern
appliances vent directly to the outdoors without need for a chimney.
Don’t heat with propane unless you have deep pockets, if you feel guilty
about burning a petroleum product or if you don’t want to see a
submarine-sized cylinder beside your house.
Electricity
Electricity is 100% efficient. Every ounce of power leaving your
electric panel is turned into heat at the furnace or space heater, with
no line loss and nothing wasted up a chimney or out a vent. Electricity
can be more expensive per unit of heat developed, however the cost of
installation is lower than with fuel-fired heating equipment.
Although the equipment in your house may be 100% efficient, electricity
isn’t any greener than gas, oil or propane; in fact the electricity you
use may come from a coal-burning power plant. Electric heat pumps are
very efficient in more southerly latitudes, however provide marginal
benefit in northern areas where temperatures are too low to extract heat
from outside air, and a backup furnace is required. Unlike electric
furnaces or space heaters, heat pump installations can be
cost-prohibitive and the lifespan of the equipment is relatively short.
Don’t heat with electricity if you don’t want to support the operation
of big power plants and other mega-power projects.
Wood
If you live in a well-treed rural area, heating with wood can be a
sensible choice. Wood is the cheapest of all fuels (you can save as much
as 70%) and is a renewable resource - however not without drawbacks.
Wood smoke can be a nasty source of air pollution unless you dig deeper
in your pockets and purchase a high efficiency stove; they run up to
about 75% efficiency when used properly. Wood-burning furnaces rarely
exceed 50% efficiency, and with much higher emissions.
Don’t heat with wood if you don’t like chores, if you don’t have plenty
of storage space or if firewood isn’t readily available nearby (trucking
costs can really chew up your savings.) Don’t heat with wood if you
don’t want to pay an extra premium to your insurance company, or if you
have any respiratory problems; wood heat will drastically lower the
humidity in your home.
Other Considerations:
The size, design and insulating value of your home will have direct
impact upon your heating costs. Modern, well-insulated, air-tight homes
have much lower heat loss, and therefore require less fuel to maintain
comfortable indoor temperatures. The new generation of “smart houses”
require so little heat provision that it may not matter which fuel you
use – because you’ll use hardly any of it.
Setting thermostats lower will reduce costs. Zone-controlled heating
systems, and space heaters can also save a bundle… it doesn’t make much
sense to overheat your entire house in an effort to make one person
warm, in one corner of the basement.
Gil Strachan is a certified home inspector representing
Electrospec Home Inspection Services in east-central Ontario, Canada.
For more information about houses and home inspections visit
http://www.allaroundthehouse.com
If you are looking for an Ohio heating contractor, please call us today at 937-675-2982 or
complete our online
service request form
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