Your tiny home is a testament to your commitment to downsizing and creating a smaller carbon footprint. How you choose to heat your tiny home impacts your home’s energy efficiency. Here we look at five heating options to help you find the right one for your needs.
Radiant In-Floor Heating System
This tiny home heating option tops the list because it is the ideal solution for tiny spaces. As you’ve probably learned, designing primary heat systems for your tiny home is a challenge because you want to keep your home warm while conserving both energy and space. Most heating systems either require space for the vents, the unit itself, or both.
However, with a radiant in-floor heat system, the floor itself is your heater. It produces radiant heat that fills your entire space without worrying about obstructing vents, a stove, or keeping your propane tanks full. They are extremely thin, using a 13-Watt film for primary heat, not requiring boilers, hydronic hoses, forced air ducts, furnaces, or baseboard heat. It is controlled using a UL Listed thermostat and is the most efficient way to make the most of the space in your tiny home.
Electric Heater
Electric heaters produce plenty of heat and come in several options, including floor, panel, hard-wired base-board, and wall-mounted. They heat the space quickly, and the energy use varies from model to model. You can find solar-paneled furnaces to reduce the amount of electricity required.
Propane Heater
Propane heaters are clean-burning and efficient. The main challenge is keeping the tank full, so if you are in a remote area, this is an ongoing concern as you’ll need a nearby store for your refills. A propane heater is a flexible option if you travel in your tiny home. Depending on where you live, you might find you are not getting enough heat for comfort on frigid days.
Wood Stove
Who doesn’t love a wood-burning stove? They add a cozy feel to your tiny home and can be used for cooking. You probably can’t get a hotter source to warm your home, but it can be a little too warm in some cases. They also take up the most space of all your options both on the floor and in the clearance space they require for safety.
Heat Pump
Heat pumps are not a bad option as they take up less floor space and work as an air conditioner. They either take out cold air and replace it with warm, or vice versa, allowing you to keep your tiny home comfortable throughout the year. They also have an outdoor unit, which means this is not a practical option if you move around a lot. Just keep in mind they also take up wall space, which can be just as precious in a tiny home as floor space. One last consideration is they can’t handle temperatures below 40 degrees efficiently.
If you’d like more information about radiant heat for your tiny home, click here to schedule a quote.
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