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In this generation there is a growing concern on the impact to the environment that results from old inefficient heating systems that give off emissions or waste energy resources. This concern has brought about a wave of alternative heating sources that can really make a positive difference, however these great ideas do not come without a price.

One of the most powerful energy resources to our avail is the sun and solar heating can provide heat and electricity at next to no cost save the purchase and installation. There are two types of solar heating which in every sense are considered the most complex heating system and it requires both a great deal of commitment and the capital to support such a large investment.

Passive solar systems: This type of system uses the structure of the building to collect and store heat from the sun. This method requires large south facing windows to allow large amounts of sunlight to enter the home. These types of systems require the home to be fully designed to implement or disperse thermal mass throughout the home. This type of system is not easily retrofit to an existing home that has not ever utilized this type of heating system.

Active solar heating: This more commonly used heating system can be retrofit to an existing home and is less complex than a passive system. It uses large collector plates to be installed on the roof which gather the sun's energy. The stored energy either air or liquid is pumped into a tank or blown into the home to provide heat. This system can use an existing heating system to disperse the warm air and can also take advantage of under the floor heating, radiators or boilers.

Another limitless resource that can provide heat to your home or business would be something that comes right from the ground it is built on; this type of heating resource is renewable and very cost efficient. Geothermal heating is a unique system that utilizes stored heat within the earth surface and simply pumps this natural heat into your home. This type of system uses a series of tubes that deliver cool liquid or refrigerant into the ground to collect heat from the ground and than it is pumped back into the building to be dispersed. This rather new method surprisingly is not much more expensive than the cost to install a high efficiency furnace system.

Lastly and a not as common alternate method used is corn, rye or wheat. I know it sounds strange but with the installation of a different type of furnace you can heat your home for a fraction of the cost of other resources. From a single bushel burned you can get up to 500, 000 BTU of heat to warm your building.

If you are choosing a heating method for your home and have a limited budget like most of us you can still go with a mid or high efficiency system, but if your resources enable you to choose any alternatives than I hope the above information helps you in your decision process.

There is a great need to convert our homes to these alternate heating methods, but the sad truth is not everyone is in the financial position to make such drastic changes. This is where the government needs to step up and provide financial assistance to anyone that is willing to convert. This change will positively impact the environment and take the burden off dwindling resources that may be needed for other things. To anyone who has already converted I commend you for your contribution; to the powers that be I urge you make it mandatory that we all move toward more efficient and environmentally friendly alternatives for the sake of the planet.

Learn more about this author, Douglas Black.
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