Brompton Flock

Energy prices have risen quite a bit in the last couple of years, leaving many families searching for cheaper ways to heat their homes. One of the best ways to save money on home heating is to think green, as eco-friendliness and cost-effectiveness often go hand in hand.

You don't necessarily have to make radical changes to your home heating system in order to make it more energy efficient, however. Simply by using your heating system differently, getting rid of bad habits, and living your life a little different, you can make your home and your lifestyle much greener.

First of all, make sure your home is as insulated as possible. Having proper insulation in windows, roof and wall spaces will prevent heat from escaping, which will mean that you don't have to turn the heating on as often. Another thing to do is to put more layers of clothing on when you feel cold, rather than nudging the heating up a few degrees more.

Even with all these green heating measures in place, your heating system still might not be eco-friendly and energy-efficient enough. But what alternatives are there to the conventional boiler?

The first option to look into is air source heat pumps. Not everyone has heard of these heating systems yet, but they will soon. Heat pumps generate heat for your home using the heat in the outside air, and they produce around three times the heat as the electricity which they run on. This makes air source heat pumps one of the most energy efficient, eco-friendly home heating solutions around.

There are other options besides air source heat pumps, of course. There are solar thermal heating systems, biomass boilers, and micro combined heat and power (CHP), amongst many others.