Two Considerations People Use To Decide On Their Home’s Heating System
It’s important you know what heating energy source – wood, electricity, propane, oil or natural gas - is right for your home. Now, it’s entirely up to you to use more than one of these sources or to use an alternative energy source like solar energy. The decision you make will be based on two key considerations such as:
- Energy availability
- Cost
A Look At The Energy Availability Considerations
It’s important to understand that every one of these energy sources are not available in all parts of America. While heating oil and electricity is generally found in the majority of places, natural gas is fed by a pipeline and is typically not seen in the Atlantic region as well as various remote or rural ones.
Propane is found in many areas of American and is often used in cottage or rural areas, as the alternative to fuel oil or natural gas. However, propane is generally costly. For many regions, wood is the most cost-effective option to a traditional heating system. Be sure you talk with a local fuel supplier or your electrical or gas company to determine what energy sources is available in your region.
A Look At Cost Considerations
For the majority of homeowners, cost is the most important factor when it comes to deciding on home heating. The factor usually has two parts to it:
- Yearly operating cost
- Initial cost for installed heating system
Of course, there are other things to consider such as:
- Noise level
- Cleanliness
- Maintenance costs
Keep in mind that the installation costs will vary based on heating systems and will include the following items:
- Electric or gas lines hookup
- Cost for electric heating
- Heating equipment
- Storage tanks for propane or oil
- Venting system or chimney
- Radiators and pipes or ducting system
- Controls and thermostats
- Installation labor
- Cost of drilling or trenching
The initial heating system cost can range from $1,000 to as much as $12,000, depending on the kind of heating system you purchase and have installed. Utility representatives or heating contractors can provide you with the initial cost of the different systems. Be sure to get a firm quote before you allow for work.
The cheap initial cost of the electric baseboard heating is the reason that most American homes use this kind of heating source. With high electricity rates, the yearly cost to heat homes is extremely high. After it’s installed, it can be very hard and expensive to change to another energy source and heating distribution system.
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