Everyone should be looking for the right low pollution heating system that suits their home and lifestyle. Remember, it is not enough just to compare the pollution costs of the different heat sources that you might consider; you also need to consider how the heat source is manufactured and the pollution problems that may or may not exist at every stage of the production and manufacturing process.
For example, electricity produced by an oil fired power station produces several contaminants along the way that need to be considered. You must take into account not only the pollution that is emitted during the combustion process, but also the pollution caused during extraction of the crude oil as well as the refining process.
The most polluting type of energy is by far electric heating. This is because most electricity is generated by CO2 emitting fossil fuel fired power stations or by nuclear generation. Wood heating and solar power are much less offensive and by far, more pleasing to the environment.
Traditional wood stoves have provided heating for generations, but they also produce a fair amount of pollution in the form of particles, although these are not always necessarily considered greenhouse gases. They are generally cheap and easy to transport and install and they need to be regularly refueled and often their output is only around 40%. Still they represent some cost savings and here are a few hints and tips that you can use to run one efficiently.
First of all you will need to be selective about the kind of wood that you choose to use for home heating. Hardwood is by far the best. Also, remember that wood with a high level of residual water, will cost you more money to burn off the water and not the wood. For that reason, it’s suggested that you leave the wood for up to two years after it’s cut so that all the residual water flows out.
You need to sweep your chimney out at least twice a year as well, so that there is a safe orderly flow of smoke from your house. There should also be a vent for drawing in air, in order to ensure a good draft through the chimney and to avoid the chimney from blowing smoke back into the home.
A number of models that are on the market today feature a large glass door allowing you to watch the flames without losing heat. The only disadvantage here is the high price, but this can be recouped after several years with the relatively low price of wood involved. Remember that wood chips and pellet burners are a relatively recent invention that can help you with the cost as well.
home-inspection
