Heating for your home can come in many shapes and sizes! If you saw our post this past weekend about energy-efficient furnaces and their benefits, then our run down here describing the different energy-efficient heating types is run up your alley.
Energy-efficient heating
As outlined by our last blog, energy-efficient heating is exactly what it sounds like–heating for your home that uses considerably less energy, saving electricity and saving you money.
When it comes to furnaces, there are 4 different fuel sources that they can use in order to function, being:
Natural gas
Electricity
Propane
Fuel oil
No matter which fuel source they use, any forced air furnace will do the job using the same steps:
Heat is extracted from the fuel source
Air is circulated into the furnace and across the heating element to absorb the heat
Heated air is delivered
Of course, it’s a little more complicated than that. But for our purposes, this is generally how a furnace works to heat your home. Now, let’s dive into the different heating types and their benefits.
Heating types
Natural Gas
Ah, natural gas–the most commonly used heating source in the entire country! Natural gas is a clean-burning fuel that produces less air pollution than other fossil fuels, such as oil and coal. It also releases no sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, or particulates into the air, which are two major pollutants and are actually some of the pollutants that make up classic smog. Natural gas is also the most abundant fossil fuel in the United States, making it readily available to most citizens. When it comes to high-efficiency furnaces, natural gas can be a big win, as homeowners can see lower monthly heating costs with these new additions.
Electricity
Coming in as the second most popular heating source in the United States is electricity. Electric heating is considered very efficient. It can be up to 100% efficient, which means that 100% of the energy used for heating your home is actually delivered to where it’s needed – in your home. However, it’s not as simple as electricity = heat = 100% efficiency like it’s painted out to be. Yes–100% of the energy that is used is contributing directly to the heating of your home; however, that doesn’t mean that electric heaters or furnaces are any less expensive to run, as it usually requires more energy than other heating types to be able to produce heat.
Propane
While not a very common option when it comes to fueling furnaces, propane still has its place, as they actually can offer pretty high-efficiency performance. Propane has been used for decades to heat homes and other buildings because it is one of the most efficient forms of energy available. The efficiency comes from the fact that propane burns cleanly and produces little or no smoke or odor when it burns. Plus, propane heats spaces quickly due to its high BTU output per gallon compared with other fuels such as natural gas (which also produces less carbon dioxide emissions, making it a little greener!).
Fuel oil
Ever heard of this one? Even less known than propane heating is fuel oil heating. It’s not very common and is generally restricted to areas of the Northeast US. While it’s not widely used, fuel oil can still be decently efficient (84%-90% AFUE), although this doesn’t really hold a flame to the wider availability of other sources, like natural gas and electricity, which tend to have much higher AFUE ratings anyways. If you are not already in an area where fuel oil heating is popular, it’s something to easily rule out–especially if you’re in Texas with us–because in most cases, the fuel supplier will deliver the fuel to the home through underground pipes connected to a storage tank outside the home.
The bottom line
There are lots of options when it comes to energy-efficient heating for your home. Not only are there a plethora of furnaces to choose from, but there’s also a nice selection of fuels to consider as well! Each type has its advantages and disadvantages, but no matter what, there’s always one that will be perfect for your home.
Call us
Interested in a new furnace, high-efficiency or not? Need an estimate, an installation, or simply a point in the right direction? Get in contact with one of our certified technicians today! Don’t hesitate in giving us a call here at Tri-Point Refrigeration. We’re happy to hear from you and are excited to help you along the way.
For a direct line to any of our employees ready on the line to help you, please call…(512) 651-4565 for our Austin, Texas community (806) 686-0050 for our Lubbock, Texas community. Or check out our website at https://www.tripointrefrigeration.com
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