What type of heating system for your home?

If you care about your health, the quality of your home's heating and reducing your carbon footprint, you need to learn as much as possible about the different heating options available.

With the ever-increasing cost of energy, many Luxembourg families are struggling to control their consumption.

Energy efficient solutions such as heat pumps, wood boilers, underfloor heating... The most affordable heating option is often chosen, but environmental considerations are becoming more and more important.

If you want to heat your home, what is the best option?

A good heating system has many benefits. It reduces discomfort, fights humidity and reduces utility costs.

Most homeowners use one of four main heating systems:

1. Electric heating

Electric heating is ideal for small spaces such as studios and one or two bedroom apartments. It is an extremely expensive energy source, which is understandable. The heat from an electric heater does not need to be stored, nor does it give off unpleasant odors.

2. Oil heating

Oil heating provides a more even and dispersed heat in your home. Although its price is rising, it is still cheaper than electricity.

Despite this, oil heating has been around for a long time and has a mixed reputation. The evolution of appliances has made life easier and cleaner.

In addition, the annual maintenance of oil boilers is usually very simple.

3. Wood stoves, fireplaces and fireplace inserts

Wood burning central heating systems and wood stoves are the best way to reduce your energy bill because they are not affected by rising energy costs. The impact on the environment is less when using wood as a heating source, as it is a renewable resource.

The two disadvantages to consider are the need to store household wood and the possibility that it contributes to indoor air pollution if burned in an open fireplace.

4. City gas heating

It's nice to come home to a warm house in the winter, because gas heating maintains a constant temperature throughout the house. Compared to other types of room heating, temperature control is the most cost-effective option. The radiator models available for natural gas heating are designed to complement the architectural details and color scheme of your home.

Is underfloor heating a good choice?

One of the advantages of underfloor heating is that it can be adapted to work with any type of home heating system.

It can be the best option for people who want to stay warm in their homes without using aggressive heating methods. In such a home, the floor is kept at a constant and comfortable temperature for walking. Therefore, hot spots are avoided.

The compact surface of a radiator can release large amounts of heat. This is not a problem with underfloor heating, and the result is an overall more comfortable environment.

Underfloor heating does have its drawbacks, which you should think about if you are hesitant to install it. Without a proper slab, inertia will play a bigger role, and you may have to wait hours for the temperature to rise.

Repairs to this type of home heating are notoriously difficult, as its detractors point out.

It's neither simple nor cheap to find what's wrong and fix it.

Whether it's electric, oil, wood or gas heating, making the right choice for your home improves your quality of life. As crucial as the installation itself is, the type of installation must be considered.

To make the most of your situation and housing constraints, it is important to determine your specific needs. There may be trade-offs between different heating methods.

One way to diversify your energy supply is to use both solar panels and gas heaters.