Energy-Efficient, Renewable and Alternative Home Heating Options
The Mother Earth News Archive contains over 35 years worth of great articles to help you save money on energy bills, heat and cool your home more efficiently and reduce your dependence on fossil fuels. Now more than ever, the rising costs of electricity and natural gas are inciting people to consider these alternatives. You'll find information here on earth-sheltered and passive solar home design; geothermal heat pumps; insulating your home efficiently; using solar-energy collecting devices as heat sources; tapping renewable sources of energy, such as wood and biodiesel; and choosing back-up generators and other emergency heating options.
This special collection of articles will help you save money and energy this winter!
The sun's energy can be captured by homemade solar hot-air collectors and thermosiphoning panels to provide free heat. The units direct air warmed by the sun through a window or wall opening into the adjoining room.
If you're serious about cutting your home heating bills this winter, one of our inexpensive, do-it-yourself projects will help.
Millions of homes easily could be designed to capture free heat directly from the sun. But instead we are burning — wasting — huge amounts of oil and natural gas every winter. You can incorporate passive-solar heating in any style home. Or you can add solar features when remodeling an existing home, as long as the south side of the house receives full sun most of the day. When correctly designed, solar homes provide unrivaled comfort in winter and summer. They offer large, south-facing windows, generous views, sunny interiors and open floor plans.
These articles from the Mother Earth News Archive will show you how to build or remodel a home to take advantage of passive solar principles.
Earth-sheltered homes fit a wide range of climates and a variety of building sites, providing energy-efficient, weather-proof shelter. Earth-bermed structures can drastically cut your energy costs by taking advantage of the constancy of the Earth's temperature and thermal mass. In addition, earth-sheltered homes also are protected from heat-robbing winter winds and the scorching summer sun. Paired with passive-solar design, an earth-sheltered home can save you tens of thousands of dollars in fuel bills during your lifetime.
This collection of articles from the Mother Earth News Archive will inspire you to build your dream Earth home.
By conserving energy use and taking advantage of renewable sources of heating fuel, you can reduce your need for fossil fuels significantly. Some of these renewable resources include wood and biodiesel, which can be made from animal fats and plant oils such as soy, canola, sunflower and corn.
You'll find plenty of helpful information in these articles to get you started on a path to fuel independence.
There are lots of ways to slash your energy costs. Here are several articles filled with ideas for money- and energy-saving home improvements, and tips for emergency preparedness during the winter months.