Home heating accounts for about 30 percent of the energy used in the home. | Photo courtesy iStockphoto.com
A variety of technologies are available for heating your house. In addition to heat pumps, which are discussed separately, many homes use the following approaches:
Active Solar Heating
Uses the sun to heat either air or liquid and can serve as a supplemental heat source.
Electric Resistance Heating
Among the most expensive ways to heat a home.
Furnaces and Boilers
By far the most common way to heat a home.
Wood and Pellet Heating
Provides a way to heat your home using biomass or waste sources.
Steam and Hot Water Radiators
While forced-air heating systems, heat pumps, and air conditioners rely on ducts, water and steam heat systems use radiators that only deliver heat.
Radiant Heating
Can draw on a number of energy sources, including electricity, boilers, solar energy, and wood and pellet-fuel heating.
Portable Heaters
Less efficient than central heating systems, but can save energy when used appropriately.
