Heating your home during winter can get expensive. Rugging up in warm clothes and drinking lots of hot chocolate doesn’t always cut it. Below we look at 6 ways you can heat your home including tips for how to make your heating more energy efficient.
Portable electric heater
Heating your whole home can be expensive, especially if you mainly use one or two rooms throughout the day. Portable electric heaters give you the option of heating a smaller space. They are a low-cost item that doesn’t require any installation costs. You also have the benefit of being able to move the heater wherever you want it.
Electric heaters tend to be slower and less effective at heating than their gas counterparts. They also tend to be more expensive to run in the long term compared to other options.
Gas heater
Like the electric heaters above, gas heaters let you warm a small space instead of trying to heat the whole house. In addition, gas tends to be more effective at heating, especially in cold environments.
Gas heaters will typically cost more upfront than a portable electric heater. They also tend to require more maintenance and have a shorter lifespan. You need to be careful with gas heaters to ensure harmful gases like carbon monoxide are not leaking into your home.
Wooden fireplace
Traditional wood fireplaces provide a great ambience and atmosphere in winter. If you have free or cheap access to firewood, this may be an option for you. However, fireplaces aren’t very efficient at heating and it’s hard to control the amount of heat precisely. You can’t leave a fireplace unattended and adequate ventilation is required to keep the air quality at a healthy level.
Gas and electric fireplaces offer an alternative. Although these options can’t match the ambience of a real wooden fireplace, they are more effective at heating. Plus, they don’t have any of the maintenance, such as sweeping up ash, that wooden fireplaces require. Electric fireplaces are the cheapest to run, but they also look the least genuine.
Reverse cycle air conditioning
Although reverse cycle air conditioning may cost more upfront than portable electric or gas heaters, it is one of the most energy-efficient options. It also allows you precise control over the temperature. That means you can set the thermostat at the ideal temperature and not waste energy overheating your home.
It may not be as effective as gas heating in cold climates, but reverse cycle air conditioning in Baldivis and other regions with mild winter temperatures it’s a great option. Plus, it has the added advantage of being able to cool your home in summer too.
For maximum energy efficiency, it’s important to choose an A/C system that’s suited to your home and lifestyle. Air conditioning installers can help you choose the system that will heat your home most efficiently so that you can keep costs down.
Insulate your home
Insulating your home is probably the best way to make your heating and cooling more energy efficient. Insulation in the walls, ceiling and floors will help prevent warm air from escaping during winter. It will also keep your home cooler in summer.
When you install insulation in your home, you will probably use your heater less during winter. It also means when you turn the heater on, it will be more effective at warming your home up.
Install solar panels
If you want to lower your electricity bills altogether, consider installing solar panels on your roof. Running your air conditioner or electric heater on solar power is free!
Solar panels convert clean energy from the sun into electricity that you can use to power appliances in your home. Depending on the size of your solar power system and the amount of energy your home consumes, you may be able to rely completely on solar power during daylight hours.
Solar batteries can be used to save any excess energy your system produces so that you can access it during night time hours and on very cloudy days.
Which type of heating is best for you?
Choosing your method of heating is a personal option, depending on your budget, home layout and heating needs. If you are looking for a quick and cheap option, a small portable heater might be best.
However, if you are looking for a long term solution that is both effective and efficient, reverse cycle air conditioning might be right for you. Consider pairing your heating option with insulation and solar panels for maximum savings on your power bill.
