Home Heating Systems

Want to understand your home heating systems?

And find out how to choose the right central heating, radiators and fires to suit you and your home?

Or thinking about alternative heating?

Read our guide to Home Heating to find out more

Particularly if you live in colder climates, your home heating considerations will be very important to you...

It's so important to stay lovely and warm, especially during those chilly winter months!

Your heating systems aren't just a practical matter - your central heating needs have implications for:

• financial cost
• environmental and eco concerns
• interior design and style considerations

Whether you just want to replace, update or add to an existing central heating system, there are lots of ideas, tips and information here to help you...

Understanding Home Heating Systems

• These days, a central heating system is a popular option in most homes...

• This simply means that the heating comes from a single source (usually a boiler) - rather than having a heater or fire, individually controlled in each room of the house.










• The 2 main types of home heating system are:
  • wet systems
  • dry systems
• There are also several alternative heating methods...

Wet Central Heating System

• This simply means that water is the medium used to transmit through the system.
• A boiler is fitted - often in the kitchen, utility room or garage - and pipes carry the heat to radiators in every room.

  More about home heating radiator ideas and designs, here...

Dry Central Heating System

• In this system air is heated, and transmitted around the home.
• Warm Air heating systems involve ducts built into the home structure, which allow heated air to be pumped around the house.
• This can be quite expensive to run, and practically, can only be fitted during the construction of the house.
• Underfloor heating or ceiling home heating systems involve heated elements being constructed into the flooring or ceiling.
• This can make your home feel lovely and cosy - especially for bathroom flooring - but if not fitted while your house was being built, this can cause quite a lot of disruption, and further expense.










• Room storage heaters are another good option - particularly as they can be more easily fitted than the other dry heating systems.
• Electric storage heaters can sometimes be used more cheaply with special night time rates.

Alternative Heating Systems

• For a newer, alternative heating look at a geothermal system - cold water, air or other fluid is pumped down into the ground, where it is warmed by geo-thermal heat (the heat of the earth), and pumped back into the house to use....
• These sytems are very eco-friendly, and once built are cheap to run and maintain.
• A lot of disruption, so probably only viable in a new-build, or in major construction.
• A real fire - open fire or wood burning stove - is a very popular option - it gives a lovely, warm atmosphere (as well as temperature) to your house, and a fireplace makes a real focal point for your room.

  More about fireplace design ideas for your home











• This is most often used as a supplementary heating method...
• Although sometimes a heating system can be installed with a back boiler behind the fire, to heat water for radiators (and for hot water needs too).
• If a real fire is not an option, you can get a very similar feel in your home with:
  • a gas fire
  • an electric fire
  • gel fires (no flue required)
• Whichever fire you choose, there are countless options for your fireplace styles, to suit your home - Click here for info to help you decide.
• You can also supplement your home heating system with additional heaters.
• And don't forget home insulation, which, while not being a heating system in itself, can seriously help keep the heat in, save you money, and help the environment at the same time...
• Consider:
  • Loft insulation
  • Cavity wall insulation
  • Internal or external solid wall insulation
• Look out for new and emerging technologies in new-builds and in new eco-homes.

Home Heating Systems Fuel Options

Whichever type of central heating, or individual heaters or fires you choose, you still have a choice of the fuel you'd like to use...

Much of your choice may depend on what is available or permitted in your area, and the format of your heating system and home.

Fuel Options

• Gas

  • For boilers, fires, stoves
  • Mains gas
  • LPG (liquid petroleum gas) in portable cannisters or refillable tanks
  • Usually widely available, convenient and relatively inexpensive

• Oil

  • For boilers, stoves, range cookers
  • Have it delivered by tanker to your home, to a storage tank, usually in the garden
  • Clean and easy to use
  • Price varies

• Electricity

  • For fires and home heating systems
  • Widely available, clean and efficient
  • Can be very pricy - best kept for supplementary heating

• Coal

  • Used for fires, stoves - very 'traditional'
  • Have it delivered to your home in bulk
  • Can be dirty
  • May not be permitted in Smoke Control areas - look out for clean burning stoves instead, or 'smokeless fuel' (including natural anthracite) or manufactured alternatives.
  • Coal is becoming more rare, so look out for 'Ecoal' which is coal supplemented with renewable resources.

• Wood

  • A good alternative to coal, for fires, stoves and ranges, and becoming increasingly popular.
  • Clean and more ecologically sound, if you choose wood from renewable forest areas
  • In Smoke Controlled areas, wood can only be burned in approved clean burning stoves.
  • Burn dry (older) wood, not green (newly cut) wood - it burns better and more cleanly - also meaning less risk of chimney fires.

• Gel

  • Special gel fires (usually bioethanol) are available to give you the look and feel of a real open fire, but these can be used if you don't have a chimney, or other flue/ventilation.

• Solar Power

  • Solar heating, or wind powered home heating systems can be used as a clean and very environmentally friendly alternative heating system.
  • Quite new technology - so can be quite expensive to install - but grants may be locally available.

Hopefully, this review of home heating systems will help you to keep cozy in your home in winter, without sacrificing style!

Where to Go Next

Find out more about home heating radiator design and practicality

Find out more about fireplace design ideas to suit your home

Click here for ideas for a fireplace makeover, including fireplace paint, remodelling brick fireplaces and cleaning tips.

Look at Pictures of Fireplaces - Fireplace Gallery

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