With the rising costs of crude oil, LP gas and utility bills it is not surprising that hard pressed home and business owners will investigate alternative forms of heat and power generation. There are many methods of generating alternative heat and power available to homeowners today. The physical location of the home and the most readily available local fuels will usually decide the most practical type of alternative heating to install in a home.
Alternative heating can dramatically reduce domestic fuel bills substantially and in some cases can eliminate bills completely. Alternative heating can also boost the value of your home often by many times the yearly fuel bill saving. Some alternative heating methods can be carbon neutral and therefore help save the planet in adition to saving money. Adding alternate heating systems to your home can reduce your exposure to inflationary pressures and escalating fuel prices.
Other types of alternative heating commonly depend on burning fuels such as corn or wood pellets in corn stoves or wood stoves. It is worth bearing in mind that the price of corn will vary more greatly than wood as it is a world commodity. World commodity prices for corn per bushel have varied between $2.50 and $7 in recent years. The price of corn in each locality is influenced by world commodity price and local availability. Wood pellet prices are usually a little more stable. Where both fuels are commonly available it is probably a good idea to choose a dual fuel burner able to burn both wood and corn.
It is critical to do some research before selecting an alternative heating method for your home and it could be worth consulting local professional experts. As with any home improvements a well designed and installed system can add significant value to your home on resale.
