Most homes use some type of active thermal heating system. By far the most prevalent are gas furnaces and boilers. Furnaces heat air directly, while boilers heat water for space heating via radiators, baseboard radiators, radiant floors or air. Other burgeoning types of thermal space heating are active solar heating systems and geothermal heat pumps.
The traditional forms of thermal heating - furnaces and boilers - are by far the least efficient. Even with newer and more efficient models available (a considerable upgrade indeed), they cannot compete in energy efficiency with low-power, low-maintenance options like solar and geothermal heaters. Yet the classic models tend to be the most inexpensive up front, although energy savings and durability will over time make the renewable options more economically rewarding.
So far, we've described the types of active thermal heating systems by their driving force - either gas, solar or geothermal. Interwoven within and throughout those categories are several other types of thermal heating systems, such as absorption heat pumps, which are unique in their own right but can be powered by any of the above sources. And of course, there is radiant heating, which can be electric or thermally driven. Below, you will find informative write-ups on the many different ways to actively heat your home using thermal energy, including potential deciding factors like cost, climate, and energy consumption.
Solar thermal space heating can be either an active or passive process. In this article, we are going to focus on the active form of liquid based space heating. In passive systems liquid, such as water, is heated in barrels by sunlight absorbed by solar g… Read more »