What is the most economical way to use central heating?Even the installer can't tell me.A lot of myths about.

Question

Have been told to leave radiators (9 of) on continuously,as cheap with all radiators on,don,t switch off when going out,and compare to two pans of water,one large one small,dearer to heat larger amount of water than smaller.The latter seems to make sense ..............and of course there is then the temperature to consider

Answer 1

It takes more energy to heat up a cold house than it dose to maintain an average temperature all the time. The unit has to work harder to heat the cold house. It only comes on for short bursts to keep the heat at a constant temp.

Answer 2

I live in Florida and we have a Heat Pump that runs year round, so I know nothing about radiators.

But, on THIS OLD HOUSE last week they added individual thermostat's to old radiators in a house. This allows each room to kick off and on to keep a specific temp. for each room.

Thought this might be of interest. They mentioned that some European cities require these, as they are very economical to use.

Answer 3

The most economical way or the most green and renuable way?

Are the radiators or central heating gas or electric?

WE NEED to be thinking both LOWER COST & RENABLE-GREEN heating! Passive solar is the most economical (has been used for thousands of generations by humans and animals!) Central heating may not even need to be used if the passive solar is done properly! When it is below freezing on the north side of our house, it can be 75-80 degrees in the sunroom built on the south side of our house. We may even use a fan to blow the warm air from the sunroom into the main part of the house or we just go into the sunroom to get warmed up. Our pets love it out there especially during the winter. We have also built a masonry stove for both heating and cooking. We stoke the fire with a few pieces of wood just before bed and the masonry bricks can hold their heat all night long and be warm to touch the next morning! It is an amazing heater! If folks also wore more layers of clothes, drank hot tea, wore a hat and just heated the part of the house where they were and did not heat ALL the rooms of the house, that would be both cheaper and wiser-environmentally friendly and greener. It is the only way to consider if we are being wise and unselfish! Live more simply so others can simply live!

It just so happens that the current INTENSIFIED move for 2007 to utilize renuable energy in the USA (especially solar) instead of non-renuable is actually going to be cheaper quite soon. Homeowners will soon be able to RENT SOLAR PANELS. Approximately 100K homeowners per year will be able to rent panels! Fall 2007 is approximate date of product release. The monthly price to rent the panels will cost the same or less than the monthly electricity rates. Homeowners can lock in their solar panel rental rate for up to 25 years too. That could save lots of money since the average US electric company increase has been 6% each year!

We can all start doing our part to "think globally and act locally" to help reduce global warming and environmental degradation, esp since the govt has been so unbelievably slow in getting on the band wagon. I have been trying to go solar for 2.5 decades but have not been able to afford it even with the rebates, etc. When I looked into purchasing solar panels in 1981, they quoted $7K! No way! Recently they quoted $26K. No way! Finally I can rent solar panels this fall and not have any headaches about it and I will be doing my part to help heal this ailing planet.

We are also building an electric car this year. It will be great to just plug the car in near our rented solar panels and not pay for any more gasoline. It's about time. If feels great to DO SOMETHING POSITIVE and less selfish!

Lots of countries are way ahead of the USA in their green consciousness. Now is the time for the INDIVIDUAL to take the opportunity to do his-her part to affect major change. Just think! If you could rent solar panels and could convert your gas guzzling car into electric, you could save the earth from TONS of green house gases in one year! YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE SO EASILY! It is not just for our mere physical survival as a species. It is our entire holistic wellbeing that is at stake. We need to rethink solar and green consciousness! It is part of mental, emotional, moral, social and spiritual wellbeing. PetroPigs and coveting other nation's natural resources, including their NON renuable energy sources HAS to stop. Global economic and domestic security depends on it! You can be part of the wave of change! It is an exciting time to be awakening to what ONE PERSON can really do to make the world a better place. It starts with you! Thanks for playing your part! It makes us feel a lot better about ourselves and our planet immediately. Spread the word and act now! If you want a lengthy season-by-season article on how to live sustainably and how to survive Peak Oil, just e-mail me and I will be happy to send it.