2022 Fall Home and Garden

2022 Fall Home & Garden LINCOLN DAILY NEWS Sept. 23, 2022 Page 23 heaters, and there is a greater risk of carbon monoxide building up in the area. Another downside to portable gas heaters is that they can be slow to heat and generally only reach so far into an area. Depending on the type of heater, it may also be relatively noisy. Solar powered heating Finally, there is a small but growing industry surrounding solar heaters. Solar heaters are powered by the sun, gathering energy through solar panels. There are relatively small solar heaters than can be purchased and moved from room to room, so long as there is a way for you to charge it. This means having access to the outdoors or clear enough windows, or maybe even a skylight. Some can be placed over windows to provide heat and collect power at the same time. Alternatively, there are systems that can be installed on homes with solar panels. These storage systems allow for homeowners to utilize gathered solar energy and specifically direct its use for heating purposes. These options are a lot more expensive than a stove or a fireplace or any other option, but a growing demand for green energy options are making it more accessible to the public. These are just a few ways to heat up a home that don’t involve the traditional furnace or heating systems. Each of these has their own strengths, and even if there isn’t an emergency, may be worth considering to keep your own home warm. [Derek Hurley]