{"id":28920,"date":"2023-03-10T13:30:55","date_gmt":"2023-03-10T13:30:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.128plumbing.com\/?p=28920"},"modified":"2023-03-10T13:30:55","modified_gmt":"2023-03-10T13:30:55","slug":"most-efficient-ways-to-heat-your-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.128plumbing.com\/blog\/most-efficient-ways-to-heat-your-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Most Efficient Ways To Heat Your Home"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re a homeowner, there\u2019s a decent chance you haven\u2019t been happy with your home heating bills. Energy costs have been rising, and homeowners and renters have both been scrambling to come up with cost-efficient answers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fortunately, there are plenty out there, and at 128 Plumbing we\u2019re familiar with all of them. We can tell you which ones are best, and more importantly, we can tell you which ones are right for you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With that in mind, let\u2019s take a look at some of the most efficient ways to heat your home.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Importance of Efficient Heating<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s more than one way to heat your house, but the point is to do it without paying an arm and a leg. That means getting the most efficient heating source and adapting it to your space and your budget.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most important benefits of efficient heating is reliability. Heating systems based on older or antiquated heating technology come with high maintenance costs, and that includes expensive repairs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Define Energy Efficient?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are several ways to define energy efficiency when it comes to your home. The definition process starts with knowing the age of the heating system that provides comfort for your house.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Expected life and efficiency decline.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> As a general rule, home heating systems have an expected life of 15-20 years, and the efficiency typically declines by 5 percent each year.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AFUE number.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Another number you can use is the AFUE, which stands for the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. This is basically a percentage that measures how efficiently your home heating system can convert fuel into energy. You should shoot for an AFUE number of at least 80 percent as a bare minimum. In Massachusetts, given the winters, a percentage number in the 90s can save you a lot of money.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Benefits of Energy Efficiency<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are several benefits that come with energy efficient home heating:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Lower cost: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Efficiency either keeps money in your pocket or puts it back. It\u2019s that simple.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Reliability:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> No one wants to have to depend on a balky home heating system and deal with costly repairs, and an energy-efficient heating system for your house can eliminate that possibility.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Comfort: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A warm home is a comfortable home, especially when a high energy-efficiency number allows you to count on that comfort every single day.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Convenience:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> We all have busy schedules, and breakdowns and repairs can be disruptive. An efficient heating system allows you to simply live with your life without having to account for repair time.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Different Sources of Home Heat<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are the most common heat sources for your house:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Furnace<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boiler<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Electric heat<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Geothermal heat pumps<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Air source heat pumps<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mini splits, both ductless and integrated<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hybrid HVAC system<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heat Pumps as an Efficient Heating Source<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heat pumps are currently being publicized as one of the most efficient ways to heat your house, and there are federal and state rebate programs that make them even more efficient by further cutting your home energy costs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The efficiency numbers are off the chart. Heat pumps can heat your house with an efficiency rating that\u2019s well over 100 percent, and in some cases that efficiency can be as high as 300 percent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Geothermal Heat vs Air Source Heat<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In geothermal heating, a heat pump is used to draw air from beneath the earth, then heat it to whatever temperature you set.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An air source heat pump, meanwhile, will draw from the air around your home, eliminate the cooler temperatures using a heat exchanger, then further heat that air to the desired temperature.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both ways of heating your home are energy efficient, so much of the decision about which one to go with depends on your situation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have easy access to a geothermal source, the money savings may be greater, but air source heat has obvious advantages when it comes to availability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is Gas Furnace Heat Efficient?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The efficiency of gas furnace heat depends on the heating efficiency of the furnace itself. If the AFUE number for the furnace is in the 90s, then yes, this kind of heating is very efficient.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That efficiency goes down some, though, if the percentage number is in the 80s. And if your natural gas furnace system is older, you may be losing out on the efficiency you could be benefitting from with a newer system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choosing the Right Heating System for Your Home<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Given the number of possible home heating systems that can keep your house comfortable with a high efficiency rating, it\u2019s important to evaluate your needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s what you need to take into account:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Your space:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> How big is your home when it comes to the square footage? Are the ceilings high? How old is the home, and how well insulated is it? All of these things will play into the choices you make.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Evaluate your existing heating system: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is Your Existing Heat System Adequate? What kind of heating system do you currently have? How old is it? Are you happy with the performance of your home heating system and the level of comfort it provides? Are you looking to upgrade and future proof your home heating system?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure you check off all of the boxes when it comes to answering these questions as you make your choices.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Budget:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> What are your monthly heating bills? Are you on a tight budget, or can you afford an upgrade to give you more comfort? Can you afford the outlay for something like a heat pump system, knowing that will pay off in savings down the line?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get a Home Heating Evaluation from 128 Plumbing for Efficient Heating<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you can see, there\u2019s a lot that goes into energy efficiency when it comes to heating your house. At 128 Plumbing, we can help you keep your home warm and comfortable, and we can also help you make the host home heating decisions that will fit your budget.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The process starts with a phone call. The numbers are <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(888) 419-4233<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(781) 670-3261<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ll answer your questions and guide you through the process, and we can also schedule you for a home heating efficiency visit to evaluate your current system and give you an idea of what your best options are going forward.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contact 128 Plumbing Today!<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To get even more information, you can also go to<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.128plumbing.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">128Plumbing.com<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and start a live chat, and we have some great blogs and articles there to help educate you about home heating efficiency and tell you everything you need to know.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re a homeowner, there\u2019s a decent chance you haven\u2019t been happy with your home heating bills. Energy costs have been rising, and homeowners and renters have both been scrambling&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,16,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28920","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-cooling","category-heating","category-service-repair"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.128plumbing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28920","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.128plumbing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.128plumbing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.128plumbing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.128plumbing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28920"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.128plumbing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28920\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.128plumbing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28920"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.128plumbing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28920"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.128plumbing.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28920"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}