There are three exciting new technologies that can help you heat your home this winter with less, or perhaps even no oil or gas. Each of these systems will pay for itself in just a small period of time, and after that you keep all the savings you reap on lower oil and gas bills. Each of these three products, condensing boilers, micro CHP systems, and ground source heat pumps are already in widespread use around the globe, and poised to explode into the market in the US.
Micro Combined Heat & Power (CHP) is the cornerstone technology in what is called "cogeneration". Cogeneration is the process by which electricity and heat are generated at the same time, and micro CHP achieves this in a way that maximizes the effectiveness of both processes. This, in turn, allows you to use less gas or oil. As an example, some micro-CHP systems are so efficient that they convert 70-80% of the energy produced from the gas or oil into heat, and 15-25% into electricity. This leaves very little energy to be lost, 5-20% in most cases. Conventional systems, on the other hand might also be able to convert 80% of the energy into heat, but electricity generation is a completely separate system. Thus, with micro CHP, the electricity generated in the home is basically free! The savings on electric bills can cover the initial investment in the installation of a micro CHP unit in just a few years.
A condensing boiler captures energy normally discharged and lost through the exhaust chimney during the process where the water is heated. Put simply, the captured steam is changed back to hot water using a "heat exchanger" that cools the steam back into liquid. During this process, energy is produced and recovered. This energy, in turn, is useful in powering the condensing boiler, so less gas or oil has to be burned overall. In addition, given that the recovered water is already heated, it can be recycled back into use within the boiler right away. Condensing boilers usually pay for themselves in two to three years.
Geothermal heat pumps (often called ground source heat pumps) can both heat and cool your home, and the thing that sets these systems apart from both of the above is that they use zero gas or oil. In fact, the heat and cooling is generated by something that you don't have to pay for and isn't going anywhere - the earth itself. Just under the ground, the earth's temperature is steady and warm. A ground source heat pump pulls the earth's heat into the house in the winter, while in the summer the system reverses itself and returns heat from the house into the ground. While ground source heat pumps are more expensive to install than regular heating and cooling systems, they are often warranted for 40-50 years, and pay for themselves in a small fraction of that.
Condensing boilers, micro CHP, and ground source heat pumps are technologies that are already perfected and on the consumer market. Therefore, the price is already reasonable and the technology reliable. These are not brand new "green" technologies - they are just relatively (and surprisingly) unknown products. Look into one of the three products today to lower your heating bills, reduce your carbon footprint, and increase the resale value and desirability of your home.
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