Heating with Green

Despite debate, there's one thing everyone can agree on: Humans have had an impact on the Earth. And oftentimes this impact has led to harmful results such as depleting the ozone, creating greenhouse gases, and exhausting natural resources. So whether you're a hardcore conservationist or simply want to do your part, it's always wise to go green when you can. Green building, which is a type of eco-construction that relies heavily on recycling, energy-efficient products, and alternative fuels, has become a popular trend in the last decade because it not only reduces environmental impact, but it also increases productivity, saving you some green of your own. As winter approaches, your utility bills will be on the rise since the biggest "gas guzzler" in the home is typically the heating system. So a smart way to be eco-conscious, as well as economical, is to invest in green heating.

Going Solar
There are two ways to harness the sun's energy. The first and easiest way is to increase its penetration, often referred to as daylighting. Installing more windows is a quick way to allow for natural heating and cuts your bills down by almost 50 percent. Why not put a skylight in the kitchen, a large picture window in the living room, or install a couple dormers upstairs? However, if you don't want additional remodeling, go for option number two: solar panels. These "sun collectors" are installed on roofs at an exact angle to absorb the sun's radiance. They then have the capability to store energy and slowly transfer it over to your house. They're quite an investment upfront since you'll want them professionally-installed, but the savings they produce over time is amazing. There are a variety of products that use a wide range of methods, but they all accomplish one thing: employing the sun's power, thereby reducing our dependence on non-renewable fuels.

Fire Down Below
Any type of heat pump in the home will be more efficient than a furnace. These pumps work like a backwards-refrigerator, collecting warmth from the outside air, even in the winter, through coils and forcing it into your house. They not only save serious money, but they can also be used during the summer to cool the home. However, if you really want to get efficient, a more productive system is a geothermal heat pump. Normal heat pumps rely on outdoor temperatures which are very unstable since they fluctuate all year. Plus, when it gets extremely cold outside these machines have to work a lot harder to extract heat from the air. That's why geothermal heating systems are more efficient: They gather warmth from a most stable resource— the earth itself. In the winter, pipes pull heat from the earth to warm your house; in the summer these same pipes force warm air back into the ground. They're a big investment, but save money in the long run.

An Eternal Flame
Fire is one of our oldest and most reliable forms of heat. However, the fuel sources used to ignite the flames are sometimes wasteful and inefficient. But don't fret—there are alternatives. For instance, though boilers are effective in distributing heat through warmed water pipes, since the pilot light is continually lit, precious gas is being squandered. Instead, invest in an ENERGY STAR boiler which uses an electric ignition that cuts down on your gas bill. Also, wood fires are romantic and rustic, and gas fires are quick and efficient, but both deplete precious, and expensive, natural resources. Therefore, a better fuel source would be pellets. They create a small, concentrated fire that burns very hot and last a long time. Plus, they don't require wood or fossil fuels, and they're often made from recycled materials. They're convenient as well: Just turn them on with a flick of a switch in order to receive a nearly smokeless flame.

Salvaged Insulation
Two of the "3 Rs" in environmentalism is to reuse and recycle. Brick veneers and stone flooring are great natural insulators, but they're an investment and require major renovations. So to get a more affordably-efficient and environmentally-friendly insulator, you may want to consider cellulose. Cellulose insulation is made from recycled materials (mostly newspaper) and it is actually more effective than standard fiberglass when it comes to R-value and guarding against air infiltration. Plus, it's healthier than fiberglass and offers increased soundproofing to your walls. It's often blown directly into the wall cavity, and therefore requires expert installation, but the material itself costs about the same as any other form of insulation.