Myth busters mythbusters water heater rocket myth. This is their main test.
Determine your heater's watts!
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The most efficient way to calculate how much wattage is needed to heat a space is to calculate how many square feet your room is. You should allow about 10 watts of heat per square foot for most modern, well insulated houses. However, there are other factors to keep in mind as well: If your room has a high ceiling (above 8 feet) or if it has large sliding glass doors, large windows or is a conservatory, then you will definitely need more watts of heat to heat up the room effectively.
The best way to estimate this is to check out some of the online calculators that will automatically total up how many watts your heater should be based on the input you type in. You will need to not only know how many square feet your room is but also how well insulated the house is, how high the ceilings are and what percentage of windows versus wall space you have in your home. You should also have in mind an average temperature that you would like your room to be. If you know all of this information it is relatively easy to come up with a suggested size for your heater. If you are still unsure check with your local heating shop as they should be able to help you properly estimate your needs.
It is also a good idea to check your electric breakers before getting a heater or heaters. Breakers can only stand to have so much loaded on them before they give out, plunging you in darkness and cold. You may have to run your heater on a separate breaker, especially if it is fairly high wattage, and you will want to know this before you buy a heater, or heaters, for any room in your house.
Bob Hander, part time home decorator, loves to write and share his experiences with you on a variety of topics ranging from heating to carpentry. Determining electric heater efficiency is simple if you use a calculator and basic computations to figure it out. It will assist you in purchasing heaters in a quick and easy manner.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_Hander
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Heating & Cooling, Air Conditioning and Hot Water Tips
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Are you an armed consumer? Make sure the job's done right!
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What Are The Advantages Of Using Geothermal Heating And Cooling Systems?
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Humans have been taking advantage of geothermal energy since the Paleolithic era. Today, in 2004, for instance, as many as 70 countries have directly used 270 PJ of geothermal heat; 2007 also saw 28GW of geothermal heating capacities being installed all over the world. This satisfies only 0.07% of the total global energy consumption. So, to encourage the use of geothermal heating and cooling devices, the US government has enforced the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This Act entitles homeowners investing in the installation of geothermal systems to claim 30% of the installation charges in tax credits, the very year the system comes into service. Apart from government incentives, geothermal systems also offer other advantages.
Geothermal Heating and Cooling: Advantages
The three main advantages of Geothermal Heating and Cooling system are:
Renewable energy resource: Geothermal systems reduce your carbon footprints by tapping into the free and renewable energy resource found in your backyard. No pollution, no green house gas emission! By installing geothermal devices, you can considerably reduce your contribution to global warming.
Reduce utility bills: Geothermal systems can extract six times the energy that your grid provides. This means that these green systems are six time more effective than the electrical heating system. You can save up to three-fourth the price of electrical heating and one-fourth to half the cost of operating an air conditioner. A 1500 sq.ft house, equipped with geothermal heating and cooling devices, will have utility cost between $30 and $50 per month in the US climate.
Reliable and safe: Since geothermal systems have only a few moving parts, they are highly reliable. Failures are rare and require minimal maintenance. Since these systems do not have any outside parts, there is no chance of wear and tear in the outdoor condenser, unlike that in air conditioning systems. No risk of leaves and twigs entering the duct pipes and no chance of vandalism.
Additionally, geothermal heating and cooling systems are also durable. The polyethylene pipe in the loop fields come with a warranty of 50 years and last up to 200 years. With geothermal systems in place, you can eliminate the risk of CO poisoning which is usually associated with the natural gas heating process. The risk of fire outbreaks is lower as compared to having gas furnace or water heater.
Geothermal Heating and Cooling systems are very efficient way for heating and cooling your home. They will help you making your home independent of the grid, thus saving you precious money and the earth from deterioration. Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kathleen_Chester |
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Heat Pumps
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The types of heat pumps are air source, solid state, and ground source. Air source units take heat from the air outside and transfer it inside. Solid state units are mounted and require regulated hot and cold temperature cycling. Ground source units are embedded in the ground and take heat from the ground and remain at a stable temperature at all times of the year.
Contrary to the name, heat pumps can both heat and cool the air being pumped into the appliance. These systems are also made to heat and cool and entire house and large units and be purchased and set up for this purpose. Gibson models are a good choice to use as a whole house unit. Gibson makes large scale heating and cooling systems that are suitable for building heating and cooling. Gibson models for residential use cost between $1500 and $3000. Some of these units also come with a tax rebate for energy efficient appliances.
Colman split system units are another brand that is suitable for residential applications. Coleman heaters use R-410A refrigerant and all models are made to be environmentally friendly. Coleman heaters are also ultra quiet, which is the best asset to have in an indoor or outdoor system. This selling point will be a plus for any houses on the market with this brand of heat pump.
Heating and cooling systems should all be installed by HVAC professionals. Installing these units will take indoor and outdoor construction work as well as duct work. Installation comes for free with some units if you purchases with some companies which is information you can get from them. Certified HVAC technicians can be found at large department stores with appliance departments such as Sears. After purchasing the unit you need you can search in your area for someone with the ability to set up your pump system.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Dave_Gorski
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What's the best heating system?
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Infloor heating is one of the best heating systems you can have in your home. Why? Imagine no clanking radiators keeping you awake, no vents shooting out air and coughing out dust, no ducts to get clogged. You get a blanket of heat under your feet and warming your home. It's completely invisible, and actually very efficient... keeping your energy costs down while keeping your home toasty warm.
Infloor Heating vs Forced-Air Heating
With a forced-air system, hot air bows out from your vents or registers and quickly rises to the ceiling, where some of that heat gets lost. As the air cools, it comes back down. Because of this, you get a very uneven heating. Your head might feel warm, while your knees are chilly! Your furnace cycles as well. Once you turn it on, the air heats up to the desired temperature and then the furnace cycles off and you get ups and downs with heat.
Radiant floor heating systems, on the other hand, heat from the bottom up. The heat either comes from electric cables or hot-water pipes underneath the flooring. As the heat rises, it travels through objects, like your furniture, which helps to distribute the heat throughout the room. Also, you feel the heat right where you are... from your feet up. The warm air rises evenly over the floor area, and the cold air is kept at the top of the room.
Sources Of Heat
There are two ways of heating your floor, electric floor heating or hydronic heating. Electric heating uses wire in a zig-zag pattern under the floor, and is usually used in a single room like a bathroom or a kitchen. Hydronic systems use hot water to heat the floor, and for large areas are much more cost-effective. These use flexible tubing either on top of the sub-floor or even embedded in concrete. They circulate water from your water heater or your boiler. You can then install almost any type of flooring overtop, even hardwood flooring. The heat produced by the tubing or wires will not warp wood.
Costs
Electric floor heat or hydronic floor heating are going to cost more at the outset that other heating systems. Generally, they will cost somewhere between six and fifteen dollars per square foot. Of course, the cost also depends on the method that you are using, where you live, and if you are starting from scratch with a new build or are retrofitting your existing house. And for cooling your house, you will still need to use an air conditioner. This can put some people off at first.
But once you have infloor heating installed, you will recoup your costs. Radiant floor heating is up to thirty percent more efficient than forced-air. You will be able to keep your thermostat lower, which translated in to savings on your energy bill. And of course, this type of heating is always more comfortable... making it well worth the initial cost, even if there were no additional energy savings to be had
Learn more about comfortable, efficient Infloor Heating at FloorStudios.com Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Doug_Watson |
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Home Heating and Cooling 101
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Heating and cooling are 2 of the most important concepts of home ownership. In fact, heating and cooling systems are major factors for those looking to purchase homes, and are a critical part of living comfortably in a home.
You may frequently hear the term "HVAC," which is used to describe home heating and cooling systems. The acronym stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning–which are the 3 primary functions of a home system. They control air temperature and humidity, and maintain the quality of the air in the home.
Central Systems
Heating and cooling systems may be classified as central or local. Central heating and cooling is the most standard method, and is defined by a system that produces warm or cool air in one central area and then distributes it throughout the home. There are many types of systems that work as central systems, from traditional split systems to packaged product systems.
Products typically used in central heating and cooling systems include:
Heat Pumps
Air Conditioners
Gas and Oil Furnaces
Fan Coils
Evaporator Coils
Single Packaged Products
Controls and Thermostats
Local heating and cooling, on the other hand, produces warm or cool air at the location where it is needed and serves small spaces. Room Air Conditioners and Duct-Free Split Systems are examples of local heating and cooling.
Heating
Heating systems keep your home warm and comfortable. If you live in a particularly cold climate, the function of your heating system is a high priority.
Most central heating and cooling systems are classified as forced air systems, because they send air through ductwork for distribution. The ductwork can contain products that filter or clean the air.
Radiant systems create heat and deliver it using components such as radiators that distribute the heat into the home. Boilers are a traditional radiant heat source.
Typical heating products include:
Heat Pumps
Gas and Oil Furnaces
Fan Coils
Boilers
Single Packaged Products
Cooling
Whole-home air conditioning systems are central systems that rely on ducts to deliver cooled air throughout the home. An air-conditioning system provides cooling, ventilation, humidity control and even heating (if using a Heat Pump) for a home. Air conditioning units cool refrigerants like Puron Refrigerant and Freon and deliver them to evaporator coils, which dissipate the refrigerant and blow cool air into ducts for delivery throughout the home.
Products such as room air conditioners are local cooling options for smaller areas within homes. Instead of delivering cooled refrigerant to a coil and then to ductwork, a room air conditioner contains all the components in a single unit and blows air directly into a room.
Air-conditioned homes often have sealed windows, because open windows would disrupt the attempts of the control system to maintain constant temperature.
Typical air conditioning products include:
Heat Pumps
Central Air Conditioners
Evaporator Coils
Single Packaged Products
Specialty Products—Duct-Free Split Systems (DFS)
As the name implies, a duct-free split system does not rely upon air ducts to route treated air through your home or office. Instead, these specialty products are added for a specific room, such as a home theatre, an exercise room, a garage, or other room where adding ducts is impractical. These comfort systems can supply heating, cooling, or both, and are a split-system in that the condensing unit sits outside your home while the indoor unit sits unbotrusively on the wall to control and direct the airflow. These Carrier systems are full-featured and couldn't be any easier to operate.
Typical Duct-Free Systems:
High-Wall Systems
Under-Ceiling Systems
In-Ceiling Systems
Thermostats
The term "thermostat" commonly refers to any unit that controls the operation of a heating and cooling system. Thermostats are used to turn on heating or cooling systems to bring the home to a set temperature. In addition to basic temperature control, programmable thermostats can be used to manage the timing of the system's functions, which can control overall energy use and costs.
Source of article: http://www.residential.carrier.com/knowledge/guides/heatingandcooling101.shtml
Source of image: http://www.chicago-heating-repair.com/blog/category/heating-cooling-equipment/
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Underfloor Heating - its different variations and application areas
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Underfloor heating has many advantages over other conventional heating methods like air venting, hydronic heating etc. This method allows for steady supply of warmth without having to press the controls all the time for minimizing or maximizing the temperature, as in conventional radiator.
Underfloor heating is far more soothing because it generates heat from below, which is the right way of heating. This is unlike the conventional air venting systems where heat comes from the top and the room finally becomes very stuffy. This becomes very uncomfortable, while the feet barely get the required warmth. Again for people who suffer from severe dust allergies, underfloor heating is the best way to enjoy warm, soothing floors that help to beat the winter chill.
This form of heating is a great energy saver and allows the running of the heater at a lower temperature that cut down by up to 20%. There are two types of underfloor heating namely
Water Underfloor Heating:
In this type of underfloor heating, water is used as the medium for transferring heat from the heater source to the rooms. Warm water is passed through Pex tubing that is installed across the house under the floors. This heating system works great in all kinds of floor surfaces like ceramic tiles, slate, stone and marble etc. Even timbre floors are suitable for underfloor heating systems provided they are well seasoned and kiln dried.
Electric Underfloor Heating:
This type of underfloor heating as the name indicates use electricity as the source of energy for heating. This is further divided into many different types like laminate electric radiant floor heating, under tile heating and under the carpet floor heating. While tile heating basically is done in kitchens and bathrooms, the carpet heating under the floor is done on carpeted floors like bedrooms, living rooms and so on.
Go for underfloor heating and you would love the results that you get from it therein.
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radiant floor heating system,
underfloor heating
Installing Electric Radiant Floor System in Your Favorite Room
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Electric Radiant Floor installation has today emerged as one of the most effective ways to heat individual rooms in any residential or office setup. They offer greater flexibility compared to hydronic systems, which are used only for whole house heating.
Electric floor heating can be used in kitchens, bedrooms or the living room where you spend most of your time, when you are at home. You can install electric underfloor heating under every imaginable area like tile, stone, wood or carpet. However, in a bathroom you have to install a thermostat control with your electric radiant floor. And it is slightly costlier to get electric floor heating in kitchens, as the area here is comparatively larger depending on individual houses.
Electric radiant floor installation is an easy process and can be done both by a Do-it-yourselfer or a professional installer. For DIY projects, all you have to do is to buy a radiant roll and a simple thermostat control. However, the final electrical hook-up should be performed by a licensed electrician.
Using electric floor heating method is beneficial for warming your favorite rooms for various reasons. This installation method is comparatively cheaper than hydronic heating. In fact, electric radiant floor is the most cost effective method when it comes to heating individual rooms and also uses Pex tubing if you wish to have warm floors in all the areas on your house floors.
Moreover, this form of heating is cost saving as they do not take much time to spread the warmth across the required area or room. This is because the electric mats are placed just under the flooring material and hence takes only around 30 to 60 minutes to heat. This is unlike hydronic heating system which takes ample time for heating. The best part is that you can control electric floor heating system with a timer and a thermostat that enable you to preset ON-OFF cycles to get heat only when it is required.
Electric radiant floor systems are also ideal for homeowners. This is because its maintenance and repair cost is less compared to other underfloor heating options. Even if you use it for remodeling or renovation work, this heating system is simply the best.
Posted in
diy underfloor heating,
PEX tubing,
Radiant Floor heating
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