November 26th, 2010 by Shaun Day

If you don't already have central heating or are looking for an alternative, ready for those chilly days ahead?  Then there are a few choices, probaly the best one is electric heating, for several reasons. Perhaps you've got an old home, or have inherited a place in the country, or your heater has simply worn out.  Find a professional company, and one who can supply you with many kinds of efficient electric heating systems, immediately!  Don't let the neighbours find you stuck to your sitting room sofa, cold and shivering like a cherry jelly! It's all good when you know the facts and recommendations for, and about, electric heating.  When you have gas as your source for central heating, there can be a worry about a few toxic by-products released into the air.  With any gas appliances, you may be concerned over carbon monoxide, the silent and deadly killer.  Homeowners often install detectors for that, as they do smoke detectors for smoke in general.  Gas lines, although they are usually perfectly safe, have been known to  blow up if the lines are old and weak or utility workers accidentally hit them. Gas has to be stored if it's propane and refilled when it runs out.  Either putting in new gas lines because the old ones are too old, or installing them in a new home, can be costly.  If you are looking to replace your central heating system entirely then cost will be determined by gas lines which may need to be replaced, the suitability of the system you pick for your home, and how much time and it could take to rip out all of the old equipment either entirely, or partially.  How much simpler is it to simply plug in your heating system? Electric heaters are so clean.  Of course, electricity needs to be generated before it can be transmitted across cities and into the countryside.  It's safe to say that 99% of the homes in the UK have electricity, while the percentage is lower for homes with gas appliances.  If you rely on  an old-fashioned wood-burning stove for your heat, then that can also be hazardous to family members who are sensitive to pollutants.  There are no pollutants in your home with electric heating and the home is naturally wired for electricity, unless you have a lovely, but ancient, lakeside holiday cottage. Electric furnaces do need to be sized according to the needs within your home.  Underpowered furnaces will cost more to run because they are always struggling to keep up with trying to heat a too-large-for-the-unit space.  Properly sized and installed (and with a few high tech energy saving devices on them) electric furnaces are fantastic.   A good contractor will be able to determine what sized electric furnace you need.  British Thermal Units (BTU), of course, are  standard worldwide for heating measurement.  A calculation can be made easily to see how many BTUs are needed for your home.  Think ahead and if you want to possibly expand in the future.  Getting a slightly larger furnace may pay off under those circumstances. Weather conditions, home structure, your home's location (are you way out in the sticks?), determine your furnace size.  Remember, electric furnaces provide heat without combustion, so safety is excellent when this heat source is used.  Always make sure that your electrical wiring is up to snuff as a matter of course for your home's maintenance.  Electric heating is efficient, safe, clean, and installed properly, costs much less than you may have thought.