How to Find Home Heating Options
Finding the right option for heating your home will save you money, time and discomfort. The choice depends on the size of your home, the type of power you use for other applications and what is commercially available in your area. With some basic tools you can determine what the best choice is for you. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Determine what type of home heating options you have available to you based on the house you live in. If you don't have a natural gas line in your home, for example, natural gas home heating options are out of the question unless you also want to pay the additional money to have the line installed. If you have a natural gas line you can choose between both electric and natural gas home heating options.
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Calculate the number of Btus in the room you're trying to heat. If you're trying to heat your whole house, calculate the Btu requirements per room and add them all together. Multiply the height of each room by its width. The result is the room's area in cubic feet. Multiply that number by 1,020 to find the total Btus a heater needs to provide to successfully heat the room.
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Go to appliance stores and weight your options. If you're only trying to heat one area in your home a space heater may enough. If you're trying to heat your entire home, you will likely need a home furnace or other type of HVAC unit. Look for units with high efficiency to save money on utility bills. Consider the cost of installation as well as the cost of the unit overall. Keep your budget in mind.
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Tips & Warnings
Many appliances are required by federal law to have an energy guide label with information on estimated yearly operation costs and electric use. Look for a large yellow label and read the information.
