How to Choose the Best Energy Efficient Heater for Your Home
On average, 42% of every utility bill goes toward heating your home. By using energy-efficient heater options, you can help minimize this cost and ensure your home is safe and comfortable.
The Importance of Choosing a High-Efficiency System
Using a high-efficiency heater option in your home has several long-term benefits for you and your family.
Less cost to operate: Although the initial cost of installation may be a bit higher than alternatives, a high-efficiency heater will save you a lot of money in the long-term. High-efficiency heating systems waste less energy — meaning a minimal energy bill.
Heats your home well: High-efficiency heating systems are praised for their performance. The best high-efficiency heaters will heat your home — nothing more, nothing less. This means no heat is wasted. In addition to high performance, high-efficiency heating systems are usually quieter during operation than some of their lower-efficiency counterparts.
Durable and long-lasting: High-efficiency heating systems are built to last. If properly maintained, they typically need repairing far less regularly.
Top 3 Efficient Home Heating Options
Today, the three most efficient ways to heat a house include a furnace, a heat pump or a boiler.
1. Furnace
Furnaces come in three different fuel options — gas or electric.
Gas: Gas furnaces use natural gas that flows through a gas line. However, it’s crucial when using a gas furnace to make sure it is clean and in good shape. You should avoid using old models, as they can be unsafe or inefficient. Additionally, not all houses can access natural gas.
Electric: Because electric furnaces do not give off carbon monoxide, they are a better option for the environment. However, due to the high cost of electricity, an electric furnace may or may not be a good fit for your home.
2. Heat Pump
Because heat pumps are powered with electric or geothermal energy, they are an eco-friendly home heating system. When it comes to heat pumps, you have a choice between air source and geothermal.
Air source:Air source heat pumps pull the heat from the outside air and filters it directly into your home. Air source heat pumps can heat your home as well as your water.
Geothermal:Geothermal heat pumps are also called ground source heat pumps. They use heat that is stored in the earth. Many consider geothermal heat pumps to be the most efficient heating system available due to the constant availability of geothermal heat — however, a geothermal heat pump is a more significant financial investment.
3. Boiler
Boilers heat water and create steam used to heat your home. Boilers then transfer this water throughout your home using either pipes or radiator units. Boilers use a combination of a primary fuel source — like gas — and electricity to power the pumps. Due to their efficiency and durability, boilers are some of the most common home heating options.
How to Pick an Energy-Efficient Heater for Your Home
When trying to figure out the most efficient way to heat your house, you will need to consider:
The size of your home: The size of your home may be directly related to the size of your heating system. Just because your home may be smaller does not always mean your heating unit should be small, too. A professional can help you understand your options.
Fuel availability: In some regions, certain types of fuel — like natural gas — are more difficult or more expensive to access.
Your budget: High-efficiency heating systems are usually more of a financial investment than lower-efficiency systems, though they do save you money long-term. When factoring in your budget, also consider the ongoing operating and maintenance costs of your system.
A professional HVAC servicer can inspect your home and help you decide which heating option is the best for you.
5 Tips for Efficiently Heating Your Home
Even with the most efficient heating system available, there are still things you can do to keep your energy costs low and your system performing well:
Invest in insulation: Heat naturally flows from the warmer parts of your home to cooler areas — including attics and basements — and can even escape outdoors. In the winter, this causes your heating system to work harder and longer to warm the space and keep your home at a constant temperature. Insulating your home is one way to combat this. Properly installed insulation decreases heat flow, resulting in less wasted energy and lower heating costs. It also keeps you and your family warm and comfortable.
Invest in a programmable thermostat: Programmable thermostats are available in several formats today, including smart or wi-fi powered. Programming your thermostat to operate at different temperatures throughout the day — even when you are not home — is a great way to regulate your home’s temperature and cut costs.
Seal your home well: Make sure you keep windows closed and your home sealed while your heating system is running. If cold air seeps through from outdoors, your heater may need to run continuously to warm the house.
Change your filters regularly: Your HVAC filters are constantly filtering the air in your home — it’s a dirty job! Keep your system running at peak performance by changing your filters regularly, whether on your own or as part of regular maintenance check-ups.
Keep up with regular maintenance: If your heating system begins acting unusually, do not put off that call to your HVAC servicer. What may begin as a minor issue can grow into a substantial and possibly more expensive problem if left ignored. Regular and preventative maintenance also includes scheduling energy audits to stay on top of your system’s efficiency.
Contact Us for Help With Installation, Repair or Maintenance of Your High-Efficiency Heating System
Ready & Able, Heating and Cooling has licensed and trained technicians who are proud of their trade. With state-of-the-art tools and workmanship, we have the experience and training you can trust. Our technicians are certified and participate in ongoing training to stay up to date on all new home heating technology. In addition to our promise to deliver the highest quality, we offer a two-year warranty on our workmanship and 24/7 emergency service.
Our technicians take care to keep your home clean when installing new units. Throughout the process, our technicians will explain everything about your installation or maintenance procedure and are happy to answer any questions you may have. They will then register the warranty for your new equipment and do a final walk-through to demonstrate how to use your new heating system and thermostat.
We are family-owned and operated, and our customers are our neighbors and our friends. Take a look at some of our testimonials to learn more about the way we operate.
If you’re looking for help installing, repairing or maintaining your high-efficiency heating system, contact us today. We are local experts who deliver quality service.
Welcome to Ready & Able, formerly known as David LeRoy Plumbing! Although our name and brand have changed, we are still here to serve you and all of your plumbing, heating, cooling, and air quality needs!
