Active Heat Control
Heaters | Heat Exchanges - Active | Fireplaces | Clothing | Active Heat Control Further Reading
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Thermostat controlled oil heaters are better (from an environmental perspective) than others, assuming you set the thermostat correctly. Gas heaters are great for warmth, but gas is more expensive in South Africa than electricity, and less efficient for heating than an electrical heater at the same cost. Heated blankets in beds are more efficient than heating a whole room.
Under floor heating is not ideal but is more efficient than in room heating, especially if installed in a concrete floor. A simple form is to use water heated in pipes on the roof (the pipes then extending under the floor—as mentioned in the Solar section under Passive Heat Control
- http://www.dynamis.co.za/
Water heating option is available through them at http://www.florad.co.za/ - note it’s an active system with pumps, not totally passive through convection. - http://www.speedheat.co.za
Following on from the Passive Heat Control section, you can take the concept of a heat exchange further – it requires far more planning though.
Assuming you have still designed the house to have a heat generating area, moving that air to the correct location can be achieved with an active heat exchange system. Air or liquid is pumped through the area being heated, and then into a heat store – such as through a concrete or stone floor, or water containers.
When you need the heat it is ducted and distributed by fans and pumps. This does not have to be overly complex. Simple systems that use black water piping on the roof that then extend under the floor to provide under floor heating in winter are relatively inexpensive, if built in initially – see Solar Heating in the Passive Heat Control section. If you want to warm the whole house though, you will have some work ahead. See The Natural House Book, pg 73 in our General Further Reading section. Going a step further, you might want to seal a house totally, and then use a heat-recovery ventilator – see under Sealing.
http://www.solatube.co.za - Solatube Ventilated Skylights with air extractor built it (use to pull hot air out of house) can be used to help around heat exchange.
Buy an internal combustion fireplace. These are significantly more efficient and burn less wood. They are, unfortunately, quite expensive. With clever design, you can build so that the chimney is channelled through several rooms, and even within wall cavities:
- Morso http://www.morsoe.com/sa/
- Jotul http://www.jetmaster.co.za/jm_pr_fi_jotul.asp
- http://www.fireplacecity.co.za/closed-system-fireplaces.htm for a large range
- http://www.homefires.co.za/ for Dovre internal combustion fire places
- http://www.fireplacestudio.co.za are agents for several brands of internal combustion fire places
The best thing you can do in winter (instead of turning up the heater or lighting that carbon intensive fire) is to put on extra layers. Invest in thermal underwear, thick cotton shirts, a couple of jerseys, thick socks, woollen hat indoors etc...
Active Heat Control Further Reading
The Good House Book, pg68 onwards in our General Further Reading section