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Some storage systems attempt to use the ground underneath homes for thermal storage of heat from electric resistance cables. However, this requires painstaking installation of insulation underneath concrete slabs and all around the heating elements to minimize major heat losses to the earth. Ground storage also makes it difficult for thermostats to control indoor temperatures.
Energy-Saving Measures
No matter what electric heating system you use, there are steps you can take to reduce your energy consumption. These methods include maximizing insulation, perhaps installing quality windows, reducing air leakage, using zone heating, and regularly replacing or cleaning filters in forced-air systems, all of which will make your home more comfortable and efficient and will save you money.
Insulation - To keep heating costs reasonable, electrically heated homes should be very well-insulated. Insulation's ability to slow heat flow is measured by R-value ("R" stands for thermal "resistance"). The higher the R-value, the better the insulation restricts heat flow.
However, just because you have an adequate R-value does not necessarily mean your home is well-insulated. The insulation must be properly installed as well. Gaps and voids in the insulation—even small ones—create air convection or air leakage that markedly reduce rated R-values. For more information, see DOE's Insulation Fact Sheet.
Windows - Instead of R-value, windows are usually rated by their heat transfer coefficient, or U-value. The lower the U-value, the better the window's thermal resistance, or resistance to heat loss.
While energy-efficient windows are important in any house, electrically heated homes especially should have windows with U-values of less than 0.40. Advanced window designs incorporate multiple glazing layers, heat-reflective coatings, or gas fillings to reach U-values less than 0.25. Installing storm windows—even over double-pane windows—is often cost effective for homes in cold climates with high electricity costs.
Reducing Air Leakage
Your Home's Envelope - To reduce your heating costs, your home's exterior walls—also known as the "envelope"—need to be as airtight as possible yet still provide healthy indoor air. Methods to achieve an airtight home are now practiced by many building contractors. Air-sealing measures include wrapping the shell of the new house with an air infiltration barrier and installing gaskets and sealants to thoroughly seal joints and penetrations in the building shell. However, these steps are not foolproof. Complicated floor plans, irregular roof lines, protruding windows, cathedral ceilings, fireplaces, or recessed light fixtures can make air sealing during construction difficult, if not impossible. As a result, homes with some or all of these features often have high heating costs due to excessive air leakage.
Your Home's Duct Work - A forced-air furnace's air ducts also influence residential air leakage. Homes with furnaces and ducts sometimes have greater air leakage than homes without ducts, such as radiant-heated or baseboard-heated homes. Heat is frequently lost through leaky or uninsulated ducts. Joints between sections of ducts, between ducts and registers, and between ducts and the furnace can lose as much as 30% of the air being moved by the blower.
Leaking ductwork can create positive and negative room pressures that often increase air leakage through floors, exterior walls, and ceilings. Reducing or eliminating air leaks will make your home more energy efficient and comfortable.
The importance of airtight ducts has only recently been recognized by the building industry. New ducts need to be sealed with commercial duct mastic as they are assembled. Existing duct systems can be leak-tested and sealed by an experienced professional.
Zone Heating - Zone heating cuts costs by heating the rooms occupied by you or your family while allowing unoccupied sections to remain cooler.
Zone heating can produce energy savings of more than 20% compared to heating both occupied and unoccupied areas of your house. Of course, the amount of savings you will achieve depends on how the portable or built-in zone heaters are combined with your centralized heating system.
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