Natural gas is a top choice for central home heating due to its efficient and consistent warmth, especially if you have a gas line. However, the cost of installing a system might be high. To address this, programs like the free first time central heating grant and free boiler grant are available, assisting low-income households in affording the upgradation or installation of new heating systems.
This guide will briefly look into the working mechanism of natural gas heating systems and their alternatives.
Common Types of Natural Gas Heating Systems
Here’s a closer look at three types of natural gas heating setups you might encounter.
Firstly, we have the widely used forced air systems. These systems draw in cooler air and heat it rapidly via a burner. This warmth is then distributed evenly throughout your home through a network of ducts. They’re also equipped with a built-in mechanism to dispose of exhaust gases outdoors via a chimney or vent.
Another option is the water-based heating system. In this setup, a boiler runs on natural gas to heat water or turn it into steam, which then circulates through pipes spread across your house. The heat from the water or steam gently raises indoor temperatures. This type of heating is often associated with radiators or underfloor heating systems – bringing you that toe-tingling warmth on a chilly day.
Central gas furnaces come in two types. Non-condensing units send exhaust gases outside, keeping the indoor air clean. Condensing furnaces, on the other hand, have an extra heat exchanger. This part takes the exhaust gases and uses them to warm the air. A modulating gas furnace can adjust its gas use based on what your thermostat needs, reducing temperature swings and keeping your home comfortable.
Choose the Correct Furnace Size for Your House
Every natural gas furnace comes with its own heating power, measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs). It determines how much heat is necessary to increase the temperature of a pound of water by 1℉, similar to the heat from a single match. The higher the BTU rating, the more heat the furnace can produce.
For a home to be heated effectively, a furnace with a capacity in the thousands of BTUs is necessary. The size of the furnace should match the area of your home for comfort and energy efficiency. An HVAC expert usually calculates the ideal size by considering the dimensions of your home, among other factors.
6 Better Alternatives to Gas Boilers
Gas heating—though better than coal or propane—isn’t your cleanest option. Methane, from which natural gas derives, is a fossil fuel. Its exploration and distribution aren’t without faults, often leaking greenhouse gases.
Not to mention, an ageing, clunky boiler can be a genuine safety risk. But there’s a silver lining: The free boiler grant is available for eligible homeowners. Upgrading can mean increased safety, better energy use, and peace of mind.
Switching from a traditional gas boiler to an alternative is a practical decision for homes off the gas grid. Let’s check them out.
LPG or Oil Boilers
Liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and oil boilers demand a more hands-on approach. Both these alternatives require a storage tank external to your living space, as the fuel isn’t piped directly to your home like natural gas.
You can also convert your existing natural gas boiler to LPG with some modifications. When considering energy efficiency, LPG boilers match up well, boasting efficiencies of over 90%, similar to what you’d expect from modern gas boilers.
Their environmental profile is somewhat brighter, too. Choosing LPG means you’re opting for a fuel that, while still a fossil fuel, is cleaner burning than conventional gas or oil, emitting 15-20% less carbon dioxide.
However, LPG still contributes to greenhouse gas emissions during both its production and use. Consider weighing up the pros and cons. If your home is outside the gas grid’s reach, LPG might be the way to heat your home more sustainably.
Electric Boilers
When it comes to heating your home, efficiency is key. That’s why electric boilers are gaining popularity; they have an impressive efficiency rate of 99%-100%. Unlike gas boilers, which convert fossil fuels into heat, electric variants use electricity.
Despite the emissions-free design of the best residential electric boilers, the electricity they use could be shadowed by the carbon cost of gas-burning power plants. In the UK, a significant chunk of electricity generation still involves natural gas. To truly capitalise on the eco-friendly potential of electric boilers, go for a renewable electricity provider or invest in a solar panel system to ensure your green efforts go full circle.
Hydrogen Boilers
The UK is moving towards a brighter, cleaner heating future, with plans in place to use hydrogen boilers as a replacement for traditional gas boilers. The beauty of hydrogen tech lies in its clean emission profile – burning hydrogen fuel doesn’t release carbon into the atmosphere. While you may not find a 100% hydrogen boiler just yet, the best of today’s boilers can run on a combo of gas and hydrogen. Some are already ‘hydrogen-ready’ to use a 20% blend.
Biomass Boilers
Switching to a biomass boiler for your home heating can cut your carbon footprint. Unlike fossil fuels, the energy from wood pellets in biomass boilers is part of a closed carbon cycle. While burning releases CO2, growing trees reabsorb it, making this system sustainably balanced. Given the surging prices of gas, biomass boilers are a smart choice not only for the environment but also for the household budget.
Their size is somewhat imposing compared to gas boilers, and there’s a practical reason behind their bulkiness. They must accommodate a larger volume of solid biomass fuel.
Storage and management are also part of the equation with biomass boilers. Many feature an optional automatic feed hopper that adds convenience by dispensing pellets into the boiler without manual input. This installation not only saves on labour but also extends the intervals between each refuelling.
While biomass boilers predominantly run on specific wood pellets, some models are versatile enough to also operate on firewood. This flexibility can greatly reduce running costs, especially when you have access to an economical or free wood supply. Every four weeks or so, your boiler’s ash bin will need a clear-out. You can add those ashes to your compost heap to nourish your soil.
A pro tip: keep a stash of wood pellets nearby. That way, even if your fuel supply takes a hit, your heat won’t.
Air Source Heat Pumps
If you’ve been considering an upgrade to your home’s central heating system, now’s the time to explore how this technology can benefit you. The free first time central heating grant now covers not just boilers but heat pumps, too.
Air source heat pumps work by capturing heat from the external air to warm up your interior space, effectively functioning even when temperatures outside dip as low as -15°C. There are two main varieties: air-to-water systems, which integrate seamlessly with your existing central heating setup to heat water, and air-to-air systems, which utilise a ventilation system to circulate warmth. What’s more, they’re not just for the colder months – during warmer periods, these pumps can operate in reverse, providing a cooling effect to your home.
Despite needing electricity to run, air source heat pumps boast an energy efficiency rate of 300% to 400%. That means for each unit of electricity consumed, they pump out three to four times more energy.
Ground Source Heat Pump
Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) use stable underground temperatures to heat homes. Even as seasons change, the ground a few meters down maintains a fairly consistent temperature between 8-11°C in the UK, thanks to the sun’s energy absorbed by the earth. GSHP systems use this stored warmth to their advantage.
A GSHP circulates water and antifreeze through a loop of pipes buried in the garden. As this mixture travels, it absorbs that natural warmth from the ground. Back at the surface, the heat pump compresses the absorbed heat to increase its temperature and then transfers it to your home heating system.
While they may come with a heftier price tag upfront compared to air source heat pumps, GSHPs can deliver energy efficiency rates between 300% and 500%. In other words, they can produce three to five units of heat from just one unit of electricity.
On average, switching to a ground source heat pump can cut your energy use for heating and cooling by a whopping 44% over air source heat pumps.
Final Words
Natural gas furnaces and boilers provide a reliable heating solution, but alternatives exist for eco-conscious homeowners. Consider factors like fuel type, efficiency ratings, and upfront costs. Biomass boilers offer a renewable option, while air and ground source heat pumps leverage ambient temperatures for significant energy savings.
Government initiatives like the free boiler grant and the free first time central heating grant can make upgrading more affordable. However, you need to check if you meet the eligibility criteria for these grants.
