We all want to do our best to live more sustainably but preferably without costing our comfort. Thankfully, as technology develops, there are more and more ways in which we can take a greener approach to heating our homes without compromising on warmth.

Even if you are happy with your current type of heating system, it’s a good idea to make sure it’s still up to scratch. Old boilers or furnaces are even worse for the environment, since as they get older they become less efficient, meaning they use up more energy. If you’re ready to update your boiler and reduce your carbon footprint (as well as your energy bills!).

If you’re not sure yet about which kind of boiler or heating system you’d like for your home, we’ve got you covered! Below are some of the most eco-friendly options currently available for you to consider:

Heat pumps

Through the transfer of heat to or from an external source, heat pumps offer low-carbon heating and cooling for your home. There are numerous types of heat pumps from which you can choose for your home. They all function in a similar way, but their use of different heat sources affects each one’s performance and cost.

Air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps are the most popular types. Heat pumps of all varieties are extremely effective, with levels between 300 and 400 percent.

Air source heat pumps are the cheapest of the two and also require the least amount of space. They work best in milder climates, since in colder weather they have to work harder to maintain the same temperature which will in turn increase the running costs.

On the other hand, ground source heat pumps can still work efficiently despite cold weather. This is because they are installed underground where the temperature is relatively constant all year round. Unfortunately, this does come at a cost though, since ground source heat pumps are one of the most expensive options and require a lot of space.

Micro-CHP Systems

So what exactly is a micro-CHP system? Micro-CHP (combined heat and power) technology is able to produce both electricity and heat at the same time. This heating system has really taken off in Japan, where around 230,000 are currently in operation. And as the technology develops, this popularity is likely to increase around other parts of the world.

Micro-CHP systems are not considered to be a renewable energy system, as they are typically powered by fossil fuels. However, they are still viewed as a low carbon alternative to many other types of heating systems, therefore, reducing your carbon footprint.

In addition to this, green energy suppliers that provide 100% renewable energy are becoming more common, so an alternative to powering a micro-CHP system with fossil fuels may already be available to you.

Biomass Boilers

Another alternative to traditional unsustainable heating systems is a biomass boiler. Biomass is biological material obtained from living organisms such as plants. Biomass can be used in a variety of ways to produce heat: directly via combustion, or indirectly after being converted into another type of fuel such as methane, ethanol, or biodiesel.

If you already have a gas or oil boiler, switching to a biomass boiler will be simple because it operates similarly but with less carbon production.

If you decide to use a biomass boiler, it’s vital to keep in mind that you will need room in your home to store the fuel and that the cost of the fuel may differ depending on where you’re located.

Electric Combi Boiler

Another easy switch to make is an electric combi boiler. New boiler costs can vary depending on many factors, but electric combi boilers tend to be one of the cheaper options as they don’t require any extra tanks or cylinders. This also means electric combi boilers fit well with homes that want to make the most of their space and don’t have a high hot water demand.

Electric boilers also have efficiency ratings of 99-100%, which is higher than your average gas boiler or furnace. With that being said, it’s important to make sure that your electricity is coming from a green supplier so you know that it is actually coming from a renewable source. Alternatively, you could also consider installing solar pv panels to your own home!

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A mechanical ventilation heat recovery or MVHR system is based on a heat exchanger that transfers heat from outgoing to incoming air in your ventilation system. These systems can dramatically improve your home’s indoor air quality by increasing the turnover of air while thoroughly filtering it. They are also one of the greenest technologies you can add to your home. Let’s learn why installing an MVHR unit is a great way to save money on your heating bills.

It Reduces Your Overall Energy Needs

Not only can an MHVR help you save on energy bills in the winter, but it can do so all year long as well. When incoming air is partially heated by the outgoing air, you don’t need to turn the thermostat higher to warm it even further. In the summer, the incoming air is cooled, and the heat is pulled from the outgoing air.

Furthermore, the MVHR system can capture latent heat that is otherwise lost to the atmosphere like exhaust from your clothes dryer or the hot steam from your last shower. This is why a heat recovery ventilation system can reduce your heating and cooling needs by up to a third.

It Keeps Your Home’s Temperature Consistent

An MVHR system can reduce your heating, cooling, and ventilation needs in other ways. For example, you can add a larger vent and fan to the bathroom or kitchen to pull that hot, humid air and distribute it throughout the house. This can eliminate the need to turn on ventilation fans to vent that hot, wet air outside.

Those types of fans may pull heated or cooled air out of your home, forcing you to run the heaters or to make up for it. Furthermore, the MVHR system distributes heat, eliminating hot and cold spots in most homes. This may mean you don’t have to run a heater in the coldest room of the house. If you have several radiators in your home, the MVHR system will help distribute that heat throughout the house, reducing the need to rely on supplemental heaters.

It Improves Your Home’s Air Quality

MVHR systems rely on extensive air filtration. This allows you to remove odours and dust from your home without having to open a door or window, and thus reduce the amount of hot air that escapes the house.

The high rate of air exchange will also prevent moisture from building up inside the house. High humidity can make the air feel uncomfortable but also exacerbate certain conditions. In many cases, people will choose to turn on a dehumidifier or open a window, which puts more demand on your heating system. If MVHR systems remove that excess moisture, you won’t need your heating to make up for it.

Depending on the system you install, it may transfer humidity from the outgoing to the incoming air as well. Best of all, it will prevent a build-up of mould and dust in a home. This is why an MVHR system is a great choice for those with asthma or allergies.

MVHR systems are an integral part of the modern energy-efficient home and should be considered by all homeowners. Improving your indoor air quality and overall quality of life is just the cherry on top.

The post Why Installing an MVHR Unit is a Great Way to Save Money on Your Heating Bills appeared first on Green Prophet.

Egloo is a tiny terracotta heater that heats a room by candle power. It has four elements: a base, grill and two domes. Using it is a snap.  Position four small candles in the base, insert a grilled support and pop on the twin domes. The thinner dome sits centrally on the base and stores high heat (140° to 180° degrees) which it conveys to the cooler external dome (30° to 50° degrees); a thermal exchange naturally occurs with warmed air – stored between the domes – escaping through the air intake into the surrounding space.

The room temperature will rise about 3°C degrees in 30 minutes.  Too many variables to decide if that’s enough to let you flip off your conventional heating.

Egloo’s simple, compact shape makes it highly portable.  It weighs about 1 kilogram and is available in three finishes: natural, vibrantly colored and enameled.

Once you fire up the candles, the heater takes about five minutes to warm up. Non-metallic terracotta is an extremely ductile inorganic compound that has a high heat-storing capacity which then slowly conveys thermal energy to the surrounding environment.

Zagaria’s candles burn for about five hours and generate enough energy to warm up a 20 cubic meter space. He says the candles cost 10 cents in Italy – but you can score them cheaply almost anywhere.

Local heating oil prices have dipped about 20% this past month due to the global drop in crude, but winter in northern Jordan is nippy.  These past weeks have been very wet, and severe blizzards have paralyzed the capital city in the past three years.  Heat in my old building is an all-or-nothing deal, and warming every room when I’m the only one home is an extravagance neither my wallet nor eco-awareness will tolerate. I’d been lusting after small oil heaters and the towers of electric space heaters now crowding supermarket aisles – but it would be so much cooler to get warmer without electricity.

If this project appeals, you can help jumpstart it through Indiegogo funding.  Initial investment goodies include first edition heaters in your choice of finishes. The late Jim Morrison once said, “Music inflames temperament.”  Crank up the music, light the Egloo – and maybe say goodbye to the oil man.

Images from Egloo Indiegogo campaign

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