A Few Simple Facts About Gas And Electric Heating Systems
To make your home more energy efficient, you need to understand the energy efficiency of different types of heating and cooling systems. Many times people are confused by inaccurate information they receive from manufacturers and sellers of heating and cooling equipment.
But all you need to know in order to make wise decisions when purchasing this equipment are a few simple facts. First of all, the proper sizing of equipment is of utmost importance for comfort and low utility bills. Once the proper size is known, then you must decide what type of system best suits your needs. Let's look at three ways houses are heated. Natural gas furnace,
Air-to-air electric heat pump,
Geothermal heat pump (electricity). Now, let's consider how efficient they are. And when I talk about heating efficiency, I'm talking about how efficiently the system converts either natural gas or electricity to heat for you home. A typical gas furnace will be rated at about 80 percent efficiency when it is new and if it is installed properly. That percentage will lessen with each year's use. An 80-percent efficiency rating means that 80 percent of the gas used will provide heat and the other 20 percent goes up the flue. For example, look at your neighbor's gas flue on a cold winter morning and see the steam coming out. While I don't recommend this, a gas furnace that is 90-percent efficient can be used. With this unit, about 10 percent of the fuel goes up the flue. At first glance, you might think 80 to 90 percent sounds pretty good. But consider this.
Would you purchase gasoline for your car and pump 10 to 20 percent of it on the ground? In my opinion, our nation would not have to worry about shortages of natural gas if we simply didn't waste it. Another popular type of heating system, an air-to-air heat pump, uses electricity instead of gas. All Doug Rye homes use electric heating systems. An air-to-air heat pump, properly installed, would operate at an efficiency of around 250 percent. I know what you are thinking. "How can anything be more than 100 percent energy efficient?" Remember, we are talking about how efficiently a unit uses either electricity or gas to move or create heat. Unlike a gas-fired furnace, a heat pump does not actually create heat, it simply moves heat from one location to another. Air-to-air pumps extract the heat from the air. With a heat pump, you use one unit of electricity and get about 2.5 units of heat. My favorite system, the geothermal heat pump, is simply the very best there is. Most geothermal heating systems operate at close to 400 percent energy efficiency! Wow! That's five times the efficiency of the 80 percent gas furnace. As this heat pump is extracting heat from Mother Earth, which is a constant 57 degrees, it is operating on minimal stress and using a very small amount of electricity to move the heat from the earth into the house. With a geothermal system, you buy one unit of electricity (one unit of heat) and Mother Earth will give you three more units of heat for free. (That three units of heat is solar energy that Mr. Sunshine gave us over millions of years.) In future columns, we'll talk more about how air-to-air and geothermal heat pumps work. Doug Rye is a nationally recognized energy consultant and licensed architect. Doug also host the "Home Remedies" radio talk show that is broadcast in 15 states. Phillip Rye is a licensed engineer and has spent the past 15 years studying energy efficiency and energy conservation. Discover how you can have lower utility bills guaranteed! Visit http://www.lower-utility-bills.com
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Tips for Designing with Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floor styles come in strips, planks and parquet, and are available with numerous edge treatments such as square, micro, and beveled edges. The state-of-the-art technology and almost limitless choices of today's stains, finishes, styles and designs makes hardwood flooring one of the most practical and versatile floor coverings available.
What is Design Psychology and How Will it Help Me?
In this article, we'll be taking a look at the most basic aspects of Design Psychology, first asking a question, and then addressing the various concepts, in abbreviated form.
Carbon Monoxide Can Be Deadly--Early Detection Monitors Make It Easy to Protect Your Family
If you burn gas, kerosene, or wood in your home to produce
heat for cooking or warmth, you need to monitor the level of
carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is odorless and can easily
build up to dangerous levels. Ordinary carbon monoxide
detectors don't sound an alarm until certain levels of
carbon monoxide accumulate in the air. New monitors show the
amount of carbon dioxide in the air at any given time, so
you can take action well before levels reach the danger
zone.
Realign Your Budget - Purchase Your First Piece of Fine Art
If you don't have at least one piece of fine art in your home, then you just have no idea what you are missing out on. Whether an original or reproduction piece, fine art adds warmth, beauty and interest to every room. So why is it that people tend to spend lavishly on furniture, carpets and accessories, but do not provide in their budget for the piece that could be the focal point of the room?
Laminate Flooring Advantages
Durability
The Art of Power Washing Decks
Since the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) started banning the use of pressure treated wood due to chromated copper arsenate (CCA), most people have decided to seal their wood decks as the EPA suggests to prevent the arsenic from leaching into the soil. Most homeowners use local companies to pressure wash their decks and siding to save valuable time and the expense of rental equipment and some prefer to do the job themselves on a hot summer day. If you decide to hire a contractor to perform the work for you, there are a lot of important questions you need to ask before you should allow them to work on your home. First, make sure the company your hiring has the experience and the right equipment to perform the job properly, using more than 1,000 PSI or less than 4gpm can cause damage to wood. In Maryland, your also required to have a Maryland Home Improvement License (MHIC) for sealing decks or any repairs and it must be listed in all advertising and vehicles.
How To Replace The Rollers On Your Patio Door
Have you noticed your patio door is getting harder and harder to open? Maybe it's time to change the rollers on the door. They generally last from ten to fifteen years but they do wear out and its a job that a do-it-yourselfer can accomplish with a little advice and some strong arms to get the door out!
Home Fire Prevention Effectiveness 1
Are you aware that you can lose all your personal belongings
in a single fire?
Spring Deck Prep Tips
It's finally spring! Time to move out the patio furniture and get ready to enjoy the great outdoors.
Feng Shui, Design Psychology and Bed Placement
I love Feng Shui! Whether you believe this ancient Asian design method is based on ancient wisdom or superstition, Feng Shui includes some valuable principles and is simply fun! Consider these Feng Shui rules:
Patios: The New Trend in Home Remodels
In years past a patio was sort of a throw on to a home. It was typically a concrete slab to keep your feet clean on your way in or out. Then you'd plunk down a couple of chairs and a table and enjoy your patio when the sun went down. More recently, covered patios have become very popular. Adding a patio or "outdoor living area" to your home is both a great investment and a relaxing extension of your homes interior that you can enjoy all day and all yearlong. You might want to consider the following features.
How to Replace the Rollers on Your Patio Sliding Glass Glass Door
Hiring a professional to replace your rollers could cost you around $100 not including the cost of the replacement parts. Below are detailed steps containing all the information you will need to know to replace your patio sliding glass door rollers yourself.
Using Colors in Your Room
Colors play an important part in your Home Decor process. Colors are what give life and personality to your room.
Log Wall Characteristics
Looking at all the beautiful full-color glossy photos of log home in magazines gives us an idealized vision of the perfect wooden house. Like a supermodel, we can't imagine wrinkles and imperfections, but like any natural product, log walls are full of traits that are an integral part of their character.
How To Choose House Style Mailboxes
Your mailbox is not simply a receptacle for your mail; it
is an extension of your home and a statement of your good
taste. You can find extraordinary house style mailboxes
that will be a beautiful addition to your outdoor dcor.
There are many choices in house style mailboxes and you are
sure to find one that captures the spirit of your home and
your life. You can choose from metals such as copper or
brass, choose a smooth or hammered finish, or you may want
to have a mailbox that matches the color of your home
perfectly. Any color, finish, and shape you desire can be
shipped directly to you, and you will be delighted with the
new look your mailbox gives your home.
Planning Permission Tips UK - Is Todays Popular Quest For Contemporary Design The New Bad Taste
Can you remember when people used to install slatted louvre windows as replacement units in their Victorian semis or the stone cladding revolution of the 1980's.
Reuse Works for the Workshop
The workshop is a great place for reusing items formally
destined for the landfill. Even if you do not have a shop or
craft area you can always donate the items mentioned in the
following paragraphs to friends, schools, shops, youth
centers? The concept of reusing is as limitless as your
imagination.
Tearing Down the House
Last year, we bought this big ol' 1887 house. We are just now coming to grips with the magnitude of the "upgrades" planned.
Light Up Your Life With Feng Shui
Feng Shui (pronounced Foong Shway or Fung Shoy) is the ancient Chinese art of luck management, which works by maximising the flow of energy (known as 'Chi') in your environment. Every object, inanimate or living, possesses its own energy field and also has an affect on the flow of Chi in your environment.
Seeing the Light
Lighting
|
