With high gas and electricity prices looking like they’re here to stay, it’s more important than ever that we heat our homes in the most efficient way. Using less energy is the best way to cut your bills (see our guide to using less electricity for tips),but this doesn't mean having to live in a cold, dark home.

Cutting energy bills
Insulating your roof and walls should save you between £150 and £450 a year. Adding a modern boiler and heating controls will save a further £200 a year – see our boiler reviews for current Best Buys.

For insulation, you can get help with the costs from grant schemes run by the government, local authorities and energy suppliers. This could even mean free insulation for people of a certain age, with disabilities or on certain benefits. See our insulation and Energy grants section for details.

Renewable energy
If you use less energy, you’ll also reduce the carbon emissions produced by your home. There are also a number of ways you can generate your own energy at home from low or zero carbon ‘microgeneration’ technology, such as solar heating systems, heat pumps and woodburning stove.

Making your own energy instead of using mains gas and electricity reduces your carbon footprint. It also means you’re less dependent on sources of energy that are increasingly subject to global demand and are likely to have high and volatile prices in future.

Cost of renewable energy systems
If you're considering installing any microgeneration technologies in your home, it’s important to take a long-term view. Renewable choices may look more expensive, but as the cost of gas and electricity continues to rise, the time taken to get your money back on an investment in microgeneration will come down.

In addition, the government will soon announce details of a generous financial incentive, the Renewable Heat Incentive, which will pay you to generate renewable heat, meaning these technologies will become more cost-effective. It's important, however, to ensure your property is suitable for the technology you choose, as not all properties have a south-facing roof or a garden.

Our table shows how much you can expect to save each year when installing different renewable technologies in your home, including microgeneration technologies that produce electricity.

For solar photovoltaics (PV) you can now get cashback thanks to the generous Feed-in Tariff. The Energy Saving Trust says a typical domestic solar electricity system, with an installation size of 2.2 kWp could earn around £800 a year. Cashback applies to other electricity-generating technologies such as wind and hydropower but not to technologies generating heat. However, these will soon qualify for the Renewable Heat Incentive.

Cost of alternative energy
Alternative energy	Installation cost	Annual energy bill savings for gas-heated homes	Annual energy bill savings for electric-heated homes
Solar PV	£8,000 - £14,000	£110 + FIT	£110 + FIT
Solar thermal	£3,000 - £5,000	£60	£90
Ground source heat pump	£9,000 - £17,000	£-40 - £70	£420 - £530
Air source heat pump	£6,000 - £10,000	£-130 - £70	£330 - £530
Wood-fuelled heating	£2,500 - £11,500	£-190	£390

Using the table
Savings are based on a three-bed semi detached house and are based on data from the Energy Saving Trust. Installation costs: Indicative cost of equipment and installation. Annual savings: Estimated for homes currently heated by gas or electricity. Savings for heat pumps Based on EST's field trials and are given as a range depending on the performance of the heat pump.

   * Benefits of electric heating
    * Energy efficiency
    * Calculate the heat
    * What suits your lifestyle?
    * Comparing different heating options
    * Radiant or convection?
    * Purchase, installation and running costs

Benefits of electric heating
    * Clean. No ash, splinters, soot or smoke stains to clean up.
    * Healthy. Clean, renewable electricity is better for the environment, for you and your family. Electric heat pumps filter and clean the air. Electric heating is recommended by the Asthma Foundation of Tasmania.
    * Economical and efficient. Electric heating is efficient; switches, timers and thermostats avoid waste.
    * Versatile. Whatever the space, whatever the use, there's an electric heater to suit.

Energy efficiency
This is the ratio between the amount of energy put into an appliance and the amount of energy that leaves the appliance as heat.

Electric heating is the most efficient form of heating. It is at least 100% efficient – for every 100 units of energy used 100 units will be turned into heat.

The heat pump has a remarkable 300% efficiency rating.

Open fires have a very low efficiency factor and most woodheaters are only 50–60% efficient. Woodheaters and open fires also pollute the environment and can be a health risk. Find out more information about woodsmoke.

Calculate the heat
The first step is to calculate the output you need to heat the area adequately. If you have an underpowered heater you will never be quite warm enough on colder winter days. If you choose a heater that's too powerful, you'll pay extra money but never use the extra capacity.

An Aurora Preferred Supplier can come to your home and do a heat-loss calculation. They will calculate the ideal output of your new heater and give you accurate running costs. This is a free service with no obligation. You can also use the energy calculator to estimate your heating costs.

What suits your lifestyle?
If you and your family average only a few hours a day indoors, then running costs may not be a major consideration. However, if you spend a lot of time inside, running costs are critical.

If life is unpredictable you'll probably need a form of instant or on-demand heating, rather than one that takes time to warm up. However, if your family follows a routine then you can consider just about any system.

There is also a question of taste – some like an ambient glow to add cosiness to their room and may opt for a radiant/fan heater. Others prefer their heating to be neither seen nor heard and could choose either ceiling, floor or ducted heating.


Comparing different heating options
On-demand heaters are heaters that are switched on and off as desired. They are easily compared with one another based on temperature, and the area to be heated.

It is more difficult to compare an electric or gas heater with a woodheater.

On a per hour basis, a woodheater's running costs are between that of a heat pump and a fixed fan heater. However a woodheater is not on-demand heating; fuel is burned even when heating is not required.


Radiant or convection?
The two main methods of heating your home are convection and radiant heating. Convection is heating the air temperature; usually fan assisted to speed up the process. Radiant heating directly heats up surfaces.

Some people love the toasty quality of radiant heat, while for others it is too intense. Some like the evenness of convection heating, while others claim that the fan in a fan-forced convection heater makes a room feel draughty. (This can be caused by the heater being positioned badly, the size of the heater, or the design of the house. Aurora Preferred Suppliers have been trained to position the heater for maximum comfort and efficiency.)


Purchase, installation and running costs
When you know the amount of output required from your heating system and have considered your needs and preferences, you need to consider purchase, installation and running costs. For example, a heat pump costs more up front but is extremely efficient, while a fixed fan heater costs less but is more expensive to run.

If you are thinking about heating your garage and can't determine what the best method to accomplish this is, maybe a propane garage heater would be a good choice. Let's investigate the reasons this might be the case.

Propane garage heaters are usually the simplest solution for heating a garage. Since many people use their garages year-round, heating them is usually a necessity. Garages are like homes to heat; you could use an indoor propane heater or an outdoor propane heater to heat them. Whatever type of heater you decide to use, proper insulation and ventilation is a must.

Since garages are usually not as well insulated as homes are, using an electric heater is probably going to be a waste of money. This is especially true in colder climates. If you use a wood stove, that wouldn't be very efficient plus you would have to consider the carcinogens that this would cause.

There are many brands of heaters. Some of the more common brands are Mr. Heater, ProCom and Empire. Some have their own built-in thermostats.

Since propane gas is flammable, any contact of this gas with combustible items may lead to harm to you or others. Propane heaters should be kept safely to forestall leakages and possible contact with other combustible items.

Propane garage heaters are specifically built to actually mount on a wall similarly to the way an air conditioner is. You can get bigger heaters that are suitable for heating a two or three car garage. These heaters could cost in the range of $500 or more. Although they may be higher in price, they are well worth the cost.

Generally, garage heaters are easy to operate and able to heat larger areas where other heating solutions may be impractical. Before you consider what heater to purchase, you may want to consider the following: how many BTU's of heat you will need, clearance from walls, ceiling and combustible materials and whether the circuit feeding the heater is sufficient to carry the amperage (electricity flow) the heater requires.

Along with the wall heaters, there are portable propane garage heaters. Most of these heaters have a propane tank that is attached to the heater and just like the wall heaters, require proper ventilation. The portable heaters are usually cheaper than the wall heaters.

Propane garage heaters are an excellent way to heat a cold garage in the winter months. With the proper ventilation and insulation, you should be able to use your garage in the same manner you would in the spring and summer months.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lindsay_Bourda
Brought to you by D&D Plumbing Heating and Cooling, Vacaville

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/

The Mission of D & D Plumbing Heating and Cooling is to provide a team of skilled professionals dedicated to serving the community with quality workmanship and service.

As much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. So making smart decisions about your home's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can have a big effect on your utility bills - and your comfort.

•Change your air filter regularly
•Tune up your HVAC equipment yearly
•Install a programmable thermostat
•Seal your heating and cooling ducts
•Consider installing ENERGY STAR qualified heating and cooling equipment
•Ask about Proper Installation of your new equipment