When managing your household budget, you might ask yourself: What is the cheapest way to heat a home? The question has several answers. You will want to have an efficient heat system and then you will want to establish energy-saving tips. Together, this approach could help you slash your power bill and your carbon footprint at the same time without sacrificing comfort.
Heating with natural gas is generally cheaper than heating with electricity. Pricing for gas and electricity do fluctuate, though, and the costs for each are not the same in every area.
In finding the most cost-effective way to heat a house, you can use this resource from Shrink that Footprint to assess your situation and identify the most cost-efficient ways to heat your home. It uses data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration to give you an up-to-date understanding of market rates. Depending on where you live, current market conditions, and how electricity is produced in your area, however, you may find that electricity is cheaper for heating in the long run.
In looking for efficient ways to heat your home, consider these options. You probably have access to many different heat sources, so consider each and then decide what is the cheapest way to heat a home in your situation.
The most cost-effective ways to heat a house with gas include forced air furnaces or boilers for hot water or steam in radiators. In each system, burning gas creates heat that is distributed via ducts or pipes. Since natural gas is plentiful in the U.S., it is usually a more affordable option for many people.
Electric systems include furnaces, boilers, heat pumps and radiant floor heat. Furnaces are often the least expensive to install. Heat pumps in certain environments can cost less to operate over the long haul. Radiant heat within floors or radiators is also highly cost-effective. Maintenance is typically lower with such systems as they have fewer moving parts.
In some places and with some kinds of houses, solar can be a cost-effective method for generating heat. You can install an active solar heating system that uses photovoltaic panels that transfer the sun’s energy to air or liquid that is then circulated in your home.
Considering the pros and cons of solar energy, including the size, construction, and how much sun your home gets will determine the design of the solar heating system that would work best for your house.
In some situations, a space heater can increase your comfort in a few trouble spots without the expense of installing a new system or running a more powerful system. You might have a cold in-home office or a bathroom that is chilly in the morning. Running a portable heater for a short time can be very cost-effective.
If you are running many space heaters for long periods, however, you will quickly find it is not the cheapest way to heat a house with electricity. You are better off looking at alternatives.
You don’t have to shiver through the winter to help the environment and potentially save money on your heating bills. You’ll help to lower your heating costs, maintain a cozy home and cut carbon emissions by following these home heating efficiency tips.
A broken furnace or boiler can leave you in the cold. And worse, it can be dangerous, spewing microbes and allergens into your home. Carbon monoxide fumes are deadly, and a gas leak can cause an explosion.
Lastly, consider the costs. If your system isn’t running smoothly, you are wasting energy and driving up your heating bill. With preventive maintenance, your system runs economically. Yes, you’ll have to spend some money, but maintenance is cheaper than repair — and safer.
Explore getting a smart thermostat to make home heating more efficient. You can program them according to your preferences and patterns. Many systems learn your home, optimizing how your heating system runs to take advantage of the heat of the sun, when you are sleeping and when you are out of the house. You won’t waste money blasting heat when you are at work or heating a room that is already warm from the sun.
Keeping warm air in your home can help improve heating efficiency as your furnace or boiler doesn’t have to work as hard. Here are several ways you can retain warmth:
Prevent cold radiators on a frigid day. Bleed your radiators in advance of cold weather to ensure air doesn’t get trapped in them, blocking the flow of heat. Fortunately, bleeding your radiator to let out trapped air is an easy task:
Beyond improving your home heating efficiency, bleeding your radiators lowers the cost of operating your forced-hot-water boiler. Installing reflectors, thin sheets or foil placed between the coils and the wall, will send more heat into your room. This practice is especially effective for radiators on outside facing walls and walls that are not well insulated.
If you’re wondering how to heat your home efficiently, start with the air filter. Old and dirty air filters block the flow of air, which makes your forced-air furnace work harder. Fortunately, this kind of do-it-yourself HVAC maintenance is simple. To ensure that your furnace is heating your home efficiently, replace the air filter regularly.
Washable air filters reduce your ecological footprint and work well if you regularly clean it with a vacuum cleaner or give it a rinse under running water. To remove serious grime, diluted dish soap will remove oily buildup.
One of the more innovative central heating efficiency tips is to invest in a heat recovery ventilator. These systems capture heat from exhaust air and mix it with fresh intake air. They also remove mold-causing moisture, along with many contaminants and odors, in the process.
Most homes exhaust some air through bathroom fans, kitchen oven hoods and appliances. Heat recovery ventilators capture up to 90% of the heat that would otherwise be lost to the outside.
Furnaces last, on average, up to 15 years. The life expectancy of your unit will vary, depending on the quality and regularity of your maintenance. If your furnace is getting near that 15-year mark, it may simply quit without warning. Start shopping before your furnace wears out so that you can make an informed decision without the pressure. With the right choice and an ENERGY STAR™ rating, you may find it quickly pays for itself in energy savings.
Newer units are also easier to maintain and may offer performance enhancements, like sound absorption and additional insulation. And some forced-air systems are fitted with advanced air filtration systems to help improve the quality of the air inside your home.
When you choose the most efficient home heating system for your situation that turns out to be the cheapest way to heat a home, you can save energy and money without sacrificing comfort. A small effort really pays off in energy savings and a lower carbon footprint.
When it comes to finding efficient ways to heat your home, consider all the factors, including energy prices and climate trends in your state. Constellation’s guide, What’s the Most Efficient Home Heating System?, will help you consider all the details and make an informed choice.
Setting your home to the right temperature—and keeping it there—can take a lot of energy.
In fact, the typical U.S. household spends about 55% of their annual electricity usage on heating and cooling alone. That’s more than all your other electrical appliances combined.
We get it. You want to feel comfortable in your home, and there are few things better than a warm and cozy home on a winter day. But all that electricity can come with a serious price tag. The good news is that, when it comes to heating your home with electricity, there are also tons of opportunities for saving money and lowering your carbon footprint.
Here’s your guide to the cheapest ways to heat a home with electricity.
The two most common energy sources used to heat homes are natural gas and electricity. Historically, natural gas has been the more popular choice with roughly 47% of households using gas to heat their homes in comparison to 36% that rely on electricity. Other common heating sources include oil, kerosene, and wood.
The main reason natural gas is more common than electricity is that it’s cheaper. But that’s pretty much its only advantage. And as the world moves towards decarbonization and electrification, heating your home with electricity is becoming an increasingly appealing option.
Here are the top benefits of heating your home with electricity.
Natural gas is a fossil fuel, which means when you use it to heat your home, you’re releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In fact, the carbon footprint of using gas to heat buildings is so significant, the International Energy Agency (EIA) has recommended that countries ban the selling of new gas and oil boilers by 2025 to help meet the world’s climate goals.
On the other hand, electricity generally is much cleaner than gas. Clean energy sources like nuclear and renewable sources like solar, wind, and hydro are quickly taking over as the predominant sources of electricity. The spread of renewables is not only helping to reduce carbon emissions but is also helping drive down prices.
Although it’s uncommon, boilers and furnaces that use natural gas can sometimes leak carbon monoxide and pose other dangerous health hazards. Electric boilers on the other hand don’t release any carbon monoxide. Additionally, homes with electric boilers and furnaces are reported to have better overall air quality than homes that use gas boilers.
Most gas boilers require annual maintenance to ensure that they’re safe and efficient to run. Additionally, gas furnaces are much more difficult to install and can take up a lot of space in your home.
Electric boilers, heat pumps, and space heaters tend to be more maintenance-free—though it’s always important to monitor any heat generating device while in use. In addition, electric furnaces have been found to have longer lifetimes, sometimes up to 30 years.
It depends on your heating needs.
How big is your home? Do you spend your time mostly in one room? How cold does it get in your climate? What are the electricity rates? Are you installing a new heating system or trying to reduce costs with an already-installed system?
Below, we’ll break down some of the best options for heating your home with electricity and talk about the pros and cons of each.
The most powerful, but also most expensive
Electric furnaces are the most common system for heating homes with electricity. They work by blowing hot air to different rooms in your home via ducts—kind of like a massive hair dryer. Electric furnaces are typically more expensive than most other heating devices, partially because they’re so powerful. While it is possible to install an electric furnace on your own, most experts recommend letting professionals handle it.
Is an electric furnace right for you?
Electric furnaces are best for homeowners looking for a system that can effectively heat their entire home. While electric furnaces have a considerable upfront cost, you’ll see the payoff in effectiveness. You may also want to look into installing an electric furnace if you already have a gas furnace installed—especially if it’s an older gas furnace. Switching to electricity will not only significantly lower your home’s carbon footprint, but it will also help to improve the air quality of your home. Not to mention, electric furnaces require far less maintenance than gas furnaces.
Pros of an electric furnace:
Cons of an electric furnace:
The most efficient
Heat pumps are extremely efficient heating and cooling devices that function by transferring heat in and out of a room rather than creating it. There are two main types of heat pumps: geothermal and air-source. The difference between the two has to do with where they draw their heat from. Air-source heat pumps transfer heat from, you guessed it, the air. Geothermal heat pumps draw their heat from the ground. Generally, geothermal heat pumps are much more expensive, but they also require less maintenance and are typically more efficient in colder climates.
Is a heat pump right for you?
We highly recommend heat pumps, especially if lowering your carbon footprint is one of your main goals. While they can be expensive to install, you’ll likely see savings benefits in the long run due to how efficient they are to run once installed. The one reason you might want to consider an alternative heating system is if you live in an extremely cold climate. Heat pumps work by transferring heat rather than creating it, so if you live in a cold climate where there is not much heat in the air or ground outside, then your heat pump won’t be as efficient.
Pros of a heat pump:
Cons of a heat pump:
Best for room-specific heating
Space heaters are designed for heating individual rooms or areas of your home. As portable heating devices, they’re great alternatives to electric furnaces and heat pumps because you can target your heating efforts to specific rooms.
Although space heaters are not as energy efficient as heat pumps or electric furnaces, you can end up saving lots of money by using them strategically to heat individual rooms while you’re using them. Space heaters can be great additions to central heating systems if you’re only going to be hanging out in a single room for most of your day. Instead of turning on your furnace and heating your whole home or a few rooms at a time, you can target your heating efforts to just the space you’re in.
Is a space heater right for you?
Space heaters can help you save money by targeting their heating efforts to specific rooms. Space heaters are great for anyone looking to reduce how often they have to turn on their central heating system, especially if you’re only spending most of your time in certain rooms of your home. The other main advantage of space heaters is that they’re portable, so you can take it with you from room to room. Space heaters are a great supplement to heat pumps and electric furnaces.
Pros of a space heater:
Cons of a space heater:
When using a space heater, it's imperative that you follow the instructions, take proper precautions, and monitor the unit at all times. Learn more here about safely using a space heater.
A more efficient space heater—but not portable
Electric baseboard heaters are essentially space heaters that you hardwire into a room’s electrical system. In other words, they’re not portable space heaters. The tradeoff is that they’re typically much more efficient than space heaters.
While baseboard heaters may not be as effective as heat pumps or electric furnaces, they are still solid solutions for heating individual rooms and can be a great supplement to a central heating system.
Another benefit is that it’s possible to install an electric baseboard heater on your own. They’re also much cheaper than larger heating systems. You can even connect them to a thermostat so you can program them to operate on schedules. If you spend most of your time in one room every day, you may want to consider installing an electric baseboard heater to keep that room nice and toasty.
Is an electric baseboard heater right for you?
Electric baseboard heaters are great for people who spend most of their time in one room throughout the day. If you don’t need the portability of a space heater, then you’ll want to consider an electric baseboard as they are far more efficient than space heaters. Like space heaters, electric baseboards can be a great supplement to other central heating systems.
Pros of an electric baseboard heater:
Cons of an electric baseboard heater:
Just like a portable space heater, make sure you take necessary safety precautions when using an electric baseboard heater.
Heat from the feet up
Radiant floor heating works by heating up coils beneath the floorboards of a room in order to heat up the rest of the room. Radiant floor heating is typically very energy efficient because in comparison to other heaters, you don’t have to use as much heat to warm up a room as it is more evenly dispersed across the room.
Is radiant floor heating right for you?
Radiant floor heating is a great, energy efficient heating option, but the installation is rather complex and can be expensive (you'd likely want to hire a professional). We recommend radiant floor heating for homeowners who are already in the process of building or rebuilding parts of their home.
Pros of electric radiant floor heating:
Cons of electric radiant floor heating:
Insulation is key to an efficient heating system. Houses with old insulation can end up losing tons of heat, resulting in their heating systems having to work overtime. The EPA and ENERGY STAR estimate that homeowners can save 15% on their heating and cooling costs with proper insulation in attics, windows, and basements.
Replacing and updating your home’s insulation can be a good weekend DIY project. Or you can have a professional come to your home and evaluate where you can improve insulation.
Who doesn’t love a good blanket or sweater? If you’re really looking to cut down on your heating costs, pick up a few extra blankets and put them in the rooms you hang out in. Blankets are sure to boost the coziness factor of your home tenfold.
Make sure if you’re using a space heater or baseboard heater that you keep the room your heating closed off from the rest of the house.
One of the best strategies for heating your home efficiently is to use a combination of heating devices. If you have a central heating system like an electric furnace or heat pump, take some time to determine when you want to be heating your whole home vs. specific rooms. If you spend most of your time in one room, you may want to invest in a space heater that you can use to target just that room.
Smart thermostats help track your daily habits to optimize your heating and cooling schedule. Some smart thermostats can automatically detect when you’re home and can turn your heating on and off accordingly. You can also program your heating schedules right from your phone with a smart thermostat.
While it’s possible to set schedules with any thermostat, smart thermostats are designed to make it easy and automatic. When it comes to eco-hacking your home, let technology do the hard part for you, so you can have a warm and cozy home without thinking too hard about logistics.
One of the biggest factors that impacts your electricity costs is the electricity rate. And for years, most consumers didn’t have a choice over where they got their electricity from. But things have changed today, and as clean energy has become more prevalent, consumers have been given a new power—the ability to choose where they source their electricity.
There are tons of options out there today, like signing up for community solar, installing your own solar panels, or taking advantage of energy deregulation by shopping yourself for more affordable plans outside of your utility company.
Are you interested in learning more about Overheating Protection Electric Blanket Switches, Custom Wholesale Electric Blankets, Custom Single Bed Heated Blanket? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!