Alternative Heating

The sharp rise in interest for alternative heating methods would suggest that we have reached that point. With systems such as solar heating, geothermal heating and alternative stoves becoming more affordable and available, many are turning away from fossil fuels, and toward healthier, more dependable energy sources.

Solar heating system can be either passive or active. Passive solar heating relies in building design to collect and hold sunlight. Passive solar homes large, south–facing windows and thermal mass surfaces.(где сказуемое?) Thermal mass is an absorptive material such as tile, concrete, or even water, which collects and stores heat for later use. The thermal mass can be incorporated into flooring or walls. Active solar heating systems consist of solar collectors, heat pumps, exchangers, storage tanks, and controls to gather, transfer, and disburse heat throughout a home, like in a parabolic solar steam boiler, for instance. Active systems rely on electricity to move the gathered heat from the solar collector through the home. Both alternative heating methods use a completely renewable source (the sun) to provide warm air and hot water to homes.

Geothermal residential heating systems use the Earth’s heat as a source of warmth for homes. Because the temperature of the Earth remains constant just below the surface, underground piping can be installed with a fluid to absorb the heat. The fluid is then pumped into the home where a heat exchanger extracts the warmth, and a fan then distributes the heat throughout the home. This alternative heating method is extremely quiet, safe, and very efficient. Existing ductwork can be used, making this an ideal system to retrofit into any home.

Alternative stoves using corn, wood, and wood pellets have recently seen a huge rise in popularity as people seek alternative heating methods that can support local industry and that aren’t imported from abroad. Although many people install these stoves to supplement existing conventional heaters, often the alternative stove provides enough heat for the entire home. Many of these stoves are direct vent systems, meaning that no additional venting system or chimney is needed. One major advantage that alternative stoves offer is convenience. Because they range in size and capacity, a stove can be found to fit in most rooms of any home. The fuel is easily stored, and the stoves are effortlessly controlled with thermostats.

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Passive Solar Heating

With appropriate calculations, passive solar heating can be a cost effective way of heating a home or other building. In most locations, the amount of solar energy that the roof of a home receives is greater than the amount of energy needed to keep it warm.

In passive solar heating, the heating and cooling system is integrated into the building materials and elements. Windows, floors, and even the walls and roof are used to collect, store, release, and distribute heat. These same elements also work in passive solar cooling. It's important to understand that passive solar design doesn't necessarily mean that standard mechanical systems have to be eliminated. Recent designs that couple passive solar heating with high efficiency back up heating systems have been able to reduce greatly the size of the traditional heating systems required. This means that the amount of nonrenewable fuel required to maintain a comfortable temperature indoors can be reduced significantly.

To use passive solar heating in a home, two elements have to be present. These are: a transparent southern exposure that allows energy from the sun to enter the home, and a material that allows heat to be stored and released later. These two basic elements allow a number of different approaches to passive solar design to be used.

Direct gain is the simplest of approaches to passive solar heating. Sunlight comes in through south facing glass, and is almost entirely converted to thermal energy. Usually, the walls and floors are used for thermal storage and solar collection by directly encountering sunlight, and by absorbing reflected energy. As long as the temperature in the room stays high, heat will be conducted into the centre of the thermal mass. As soon as the temperatures drop, the heat flow is reversed.

Indirect gain uses basic elements of heat storage and collection in combination with convection. This approach places storage materials between the sun and the interior habitable space. This means that there is no direct heating. The heat is transferred between one side of the thermal storage wall to the other.

Isolated gain uses a fluid, such as liquid or air, to collect heat in what is referred to as a flat plate solar collector, which is attached to the structure. Heat is then transferred by natural convection through pipes or ducts, and collected in a storage area, such as a bin or tank. The cooler air or water is then displaced, and forced back to the collector to become warm again.