Affordable Heating Options for Your Home
Dexter, MO experiences some pretty extreme temperatures during the winter. The average low between November and March doesn’t get higher than 39°F. Heating your home during this period can get quite expensive if you don’t use energy-efficient heating. Fortunately, you have several options to choose from gas, electric, and heat pump heating systems.
1. Gas
In some regions, natural gas heating is far less expensive than electricity. Gas heaters can quickly raise the temperature in the house, making it easy to combat Dexter’s cold winters. When buying a gas heater, you need to evaluate its energy efficiency rating. Today’s newest heaters must have a rating of 78%, meaning they lose about 22% of the heat they produce. However, some gas heaters feature efficiency ratings of up to 97%. These heaters only waste three percent of the energy they use.
2. Electric
Electric heating systems come in many styles and work well in homes without access to gas heating. You can choose from baseboard heaters, wall heaters, standing heaters, and more. They usually come with a much lower upfront purchase price compared to gas heaters, and they don’t involve combustion, meaning they improve indoor air quality. However, in areas with extremely cold winters, electric heating requires a significant amount of energy to keep the home warm. This can significantly increase your home’s energy bill.
3. Heat Pump
Experts frequently recommend heat pump heating systems because of their high energy efficiency. They come in three basic types, each using a different type of sustainable energy to produce heat. The three types are air-, ground- or water-sourced. They provide year-round comfort thanks to their ability to both heat and cool a home. These systems work incredibly well in homes with high electricity bills because of electric heating and cooling requirements. The only downside to heat pump systems stems from their inability to keep a home comfortably warm during extended periods of extremely cold temperatures. As a result, homes with heat pumps sometimes need to use supplemental heating, which can get expensive.
If you need help deciding which heating method is best for your home, Carlos Warren & Son is here to help. We also help residents in Dexter with water heater installation, HVAC maintenance, and air quality testing. Contact us now to learn more about the ways you can keep your home warm this winter.
