Save Heating Costs by Using the Sun

English: Solar panel installation at an information center adjacent to Ögii Lake (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Heating costs are soaring these days due to the increasing costs of fuel. What if you could reduce those costs easily by simply adding a glass conservatory and creating a means to funnel that built up heat from the glass encased room to the other parts of the home. You can harness the natural power of the sun with technology.

Add Solar Panels to the roof

You may want to consider adding solar panels to roof of the glass extension to store heat to be used later on cloud covered days. These solar panels can then be channelled to the rest of the house as a source of heating energy. Why pay for natural gas to heat your home when the sun can provide ample energy in solar panels?

Use open space between your garden room and the rest of the home

The garden addition to your home need not be blocked off to the rest of the home with walls or heavy doors. You can use the heat from that room to heat the other nearby rooms. Another way to use the heat from the glass room is to have glass walls between the conservatory and the rest of the home. Look into manufacturers who make double glazed glass that will use the heat of the sun more efficiently. 

Consider using Argon Gas windows

Some manufacturers build double or triple paned glass windows or walls that have argon gas between the panes that will help the plant life within your garden get a steady source of heat. They can also be used to provide renewable heating for the rest of the home.

You can enjoy the beauty of a garden full of flowers and other vegetation and gain the added advantage of using the sun’s wonderful rays to heat your home with a little forethought and careful planning. When you plan your addition study the way the light plays on the part of the home where you want to add a garden. Make sure that there will be ample lighting for the plants. Check the climate information to learn the average number of days with full-on sun in your area. You want to gain as much advantage from the sun as possible to heat your garden and your home.

Isn’t it amazing how improvements in technology have helped us gain power from the sun in our lives? Learn how you can harness nature to heat your home.

The Alpine Group in the UK specialise in bespoke Orangeries, Glass Verandas, Conservatories, Pool buildings for residential and commercial properties. Check out their website www.thealpinegroup.co.uk for inspiration and advice.

Energy Efficiency: Understanding How a Window Upgrade Can Save You Money

You know winter is arriving when the temperatures begin to get frigid. When the temperatures begin to drop, many homeowners will begin to turn their heating systems on and the colder it gets, the harder the system needs to work which increases energy bills. The good news is, by utilizing replacement windows; you can significantly decrease energy use as well as the cost of home heating.

Energy efficient windows help to make your household more comfortable as compared to older drafty windows. This means you are able to not only live comfortably, but save on your electricity and gas as well. There are several ways that efficient windows work in saving energy. Your windows make up a central part of your household's architecture and it can be really simple to go about your daily activities without giving them a second thought. As the energy costs climb, however, the time is now that you want to pay more attention to them and seriously consider an upgrade to more energy efficient windows. In both function and construction, windows like these are different than regular windows and will help you to save a bundle on both your heating and cooling expenses. Below will help you understand how energy efficient windows work to save you on energy costs.

Window Frames

The frame of a window can be made from fiberglass, wood, vinyl, composite, aluminum or another metal. Even though they all have their own particular advantages and disadvantages, it is recommended that you go with vinyl, composite or fiberglass to get the most benefit. Aluminum is heated easily and therefore does not make a great insulator. Due to contraction and expansion, efficiency problems exist with wood frames, so vinyl-clad or fiberglass is a good choice. However, if you decide on vinyl, depending on your house requirements and climate, it is best if you go with the insulated version for the best thermal insulation.

Window Glazing & Insulated

There are many different options when it comes to selecting your window glass, such as heat-absorbing tints, gas fills, double or triple glazed insulated, spectral selective coatings and reflective coatings. Double or triple glazed as well as storm windows allow air and space between panes. This will lower the U-factor and the SHGC or solar heat gain coefficient.

Gas fills

Argon is the most common gas used and is fairly inexpensive. Krypton, although more expensive, is also a common gas used and works better at decreasing the U-factor of a window.

Heat-absorbing tints

Tints come in different colors like green, blue, bronze, gray or black. Tint does not lower the U-factor of a window, but you can add spectral sensitive coatings and inner glass layers to help with that. Bronze and gray help to reduce light and heat while green and blue allow for more VT or visible transmittance, but with only a slight reduction in heat transfer.

You can save money each month with energy efficient windows. In some cases, newer windows have helped people to become net energy gainers. Typically, energy efficient windows will have a payback period of around 2 to 10 years. In new installation, their initial cost is higher but can be offset by giving you the ability to get a less expensive and smaller heating and cooling unit. More durable, energy efficient windows will end up costing less in the long run due to lowered replacement and maintenance costs. Plus, you will be more comfortable all around and a fully insulated home. Places like  Central Scotland Joinery can help you select the best option of energy efficient windows for your home and install them for you too.