A Guide to Heating Your Home

This is part of our ongoing series on home maintenance basics to help you keep up your home and grow your investment with confidence.

Every home has one. The behemoth in the basement. The mechanical monster in the utility closet. The beast that grumbles in the night. Yes, we’re talking about your home heating system. We get it, our pipes creak too.

Our series will help you determine what kind of heat you have and the fuel it uses, how to shop for a new system, and the ins and outs of supplemental sources like wood stoves and electric heaters.

6 Tricks to Lower Your Home Heating Costs

The cost of heating is stressful in any year, let alone during COVID-19 when millions of Americans are struggling financially.  

If you’re nervous about the cost to keep yourself warm this winter, you’re not alone. For the average household, heating makes up more than 40% of the annual cost of utilities. 

We have simple tips to lower your heating costs. Keep calm — and stay warm! 

Furnace Fundamentals: A Guide to Home Heating Systems

Furnaces, boilers, and heat pumps make up 80% of all home heating systems in the United States. They’re considered “primary heat sources,” meaning they provide heat for your entire home. Of the three, furnaces are the most popular.

Here’s a simple breakdown of common home heating systems.

Little boy stacking wood for wood stove or fireplace.

Warm Up: Wood Stoves and Other Supplemental Heat Sources

Why do folks have supplemental heat sources? Because they’re cold! And they don’t want to spend more money on fuel, or add wear and tear, by cranking up the furnace. Supplemental heat also lets you warm up one area or room rather than your entire home. 

Interested in learning more? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of supplemental heat sources, including wood stoves and solar panels.

paper plane
paper plane

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