Professionals in home improvement often talk about improving the efficiency of your heating system to save money and energy. For most homeowners, this seems like a lofty idea that can be hard to understand on a practical level. You may not know if your heating oil tank is considered “energy efficient” or even if your heater uses non-kerosene heating oil or kerosene. Even if you know what kind of oil your heater uses, you may not know if your heating oil disposal practices comply with the latest standards for energy efficiency. For those who care about energy efficiency more out of a concern for the environment than financial reasons, understanding whether your oil-heated homes are making the most efficient use of oil to heat house areas or not will probably be a priority.
It can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to understanding your home’s heating system. Still, if you don’t take the time to learn more about your home’s heating system, you’ll never know how energy-efficient that system is. For all you know, there may be some simple ways to cut down on energy costs and energy usage in your home.
A good home heating system is important, especially in places that tend to have colder climates. This is the reason why you need to learn about details like the cost of electric heat vs oil. By doing this you can choose a solution that won’t break the bank while keeping your home habitable.
That said, you may be surprised to learn that a cheap heat system in one area may not be so cheap in another one. This may be a result of the availability of something like propane. If there’s a nearby source of propane, you may find a local propane tank to be more affordable than other forms of heat.
Source aside, it’s a good idea to also think about the safety of the heating source that you want to use. This is something for which you can get an idea by searching online to see the details of propane heat vs electric heat. Different factors can come into play for one home or the other, so don’t forget to also do local research. In the end, whether you pick propane or electric heating, you should be sure that you’re happy with all the details of the particular source that you pick.
When talking about your home heating system, it is important to understand the relationship between energy efficiency and energy costs. For example, the most efficient home heating systems, according to energy ratings, may not actually be the most affordable.
By federal law, all home heating systems are required to display a value known as the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency rating, or AFUE, so that consumers can more easily compare models. A heating system with an AFUE of 87% will convert that percentage of fuel into heat for the home, while the remaining 13% escapes through chimneys or other exhaust ports. This leads one to believe that the higher an AFUE rating, the lower your energy costs. But there is another factor… what kind of fuel does the system use, and how much does that fuel cost?
Going by the AFUE, the most energy efficient home heating systems are electric, with anywhere from 95% to 100% of their fuel being converted into heat for the home. But nationally, the cost of electricity far outpaces the cost of fossil fuels (such as natural gas and propane), so even with the increased efficiency, your heating bills will likely be higher than with a gas furnace or boiler.
Combining energy efficient home heating systems with cost efficient energy is the best way to maximize your comfort and minimize your bills. Solar energy offers a possible solution, with some systems providing heat directly to the home and others providing pure energy for heating and cooling as well as other electrical needs.
Consumers can also combine electrical and fossil fuel powered systems, depending on their needs. And many outdated systems can be retrofitted rather than replaced entirely, for added cost benefit without expensive overhauls. Maintaining efficient ductwork and clean ventilation can also increase the efficiency of your system and ease the burden on your monthly budget.