natural-gas-furnace / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Natural gas fireplaces, furnaces, boilers and gas water heaters - Green or Not?
Heating with gas and oil

Heating with natural gas furnaces, boilers and fireplaces

The cleaner burning process (than diesel fuel) and price has made heating and cooking with natural gas quite popular in the last couple of decades. However, popularity put a pretty heavy dent in supply, so much so that alternative sources are being explored to meet demand. There are some potentially greener sources of ...

Natural gas fracking Fossil fuels are bad for the environment
Heating with gas and oil

Natural gas for home heating is dying a slow death

Is natural gas bad? Yes it very much is no matter how you look at it. Burning any fossil fuel releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and contributes to the warming of the planet. The carbon dioxide emissions from burning natural gas are lower than with oil or coal, but there are other emissions to be concerned abo...

Gas Natural  vs Propano
Heating with gas and oil

Natural gas vs propane, what is the difference and which is less harmful?

While Ecohome is a firm advocate of decarbonizing homes by the adoption of electricity as the primary power source, we understand that for some of you, using gas may be the only option that fits your situation or location. We have written this guide to help you differentiate between renewable natural gas, fossil gas, a...

¿Una refinería de gas natural en Quebec con financiación pública equivocada?
Renewable energy

Renewable natural gas, RNG or biogas under the microscope...

Recent articles have praised major public investments in biomethanization plants around Canada and North America. These huge chemical plants produce renewable natural gas (RNG) which is a pipeline-quality gas that is fully interchangeable with conventional natural gas and so can also be used in natural gas vehicles. RN...

Natural Gas is being phased out - why & when?
Heating with gas and oil

Why natural gas is being phased out of new home construction (and when?)

So why is natural gas being phased out?   Natural gas is being phased out of new home construction because burning any fossil fuel releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and contributes to the warming of the planet. The carbon dioxide emissions from burning natural gas are lower than those from oil or coal, but th...

Heating and cooling

How to troubleshoot a furnace that won’t work.

There are a few things that will cause any furnace to either stop running, or only deliver cold air, so here are a few easy DIY furnace repair tips that may get you warmed up without having to call an HVAC professional. It is at least a place to start, so you aren’t paying someone to come tell you that your thermostat ...

Healthy indoor air quality

Buying guide for home air filters in furnaces - HEPA, SMART or standard?

What are home air filters used for?   Air filters on air handling units such as furnaces, HRV, and ERV systems are intended to clean and purify the air before it enters the ducts of your home, to protect indoor air quality from being contaminated with airborne particulate. Dust, dirt, and pollen in the air of homes are...

Gas Cooktops and Stoves causing Asthma and Cancer in Households
Heating with gas and oil

Still cooking with gas? How to reduce the risk of asthma and cancer.

Gas stoves - are we playing with fire? Fossil fuel gas stoves and gas cooktops, greenwashed as being 'natural' gas, are even more of a problem than most people realize, especially if concerned about the keeping everyone in the family in good health! The Asthma Society of Canada says that the number of asthma cases bein...

Renewable energy wind farm
Renewable energy

What is clean energy?

What is the cleanest energy?  Despite how commonly  the term ‘clean energy’ is used, there is actually no such thing. At least not in the power delivery market; there are only various levels of ‘dirty’ energy. Starting with the worst and moving up, that would in general be - coal, oil, natural gas and propane, wood and...

Why Electric Heating Systems are Best for Sustainable Homes
Heating with electricity

Heating with electricity - the best choice for high efficiency & Zero Energy homes?

More and more homebuyers are starting to demand energy-efficient new homes and are pushing the building industry towards building better homes with lower fuel costs. Building Zero Net Energy homes is also a trending subject, and they are becoming more common as societies transition away from carbon-based economies and ...

Natural swimming pool design DIY (NSP) for eco homes
Natural swimming pools and ponds

Natural pools and natural swimming pools

Natural swimming pools - what are the origins? Natural pools were inspired by the beauty and joy of swimming in mountain lakes, a team of Austrian researchers are credited with launching a movement back in the 1980's that saw chlorinated swimming pools being replaced by natural swimming pools and swimming ponds. The id...