How do Europeans heat their homes??

[mrtew]

What does the price of oil have to do with natural gas? Isn't most heating in the US and in Europe natural gas?

[JoFotoz]

Gas or Oil fired central heating is now the normal method in the United Kingdom...
...the back fired ("Baxi") style boilers that rowhard mentions being mostly replaced these days
due to smog rules and effeciency issues.

Most UK homes are built to a much higher (R-value) insulation code than here
in the USA.
So although the fuel is expensive , its reasonably effeciently used.
(No A/C costs to worry about in summer either!!)

Older homes tend to have the oil fired units...newer home use gas.

Modern Gas fired units employ a "manifold" system with individual "T's" going to AND from convection style hot water radiators.
The manifold system is very effecient as each radiator gets "new" boiler fresh hot water..
...rather than the old series system that led to water getting cooler and cooler as it travelled around the house.
The return water in a manifold system is also hotter when it re-enters the boiler...
...so less energy is required to re-heat it.

OK enough!!..yea...I sold heating door to door in Scotland one hellish 6 months...
("""if you sign tonight MrX...I'll include two free radiators"""""...ugh...I hate to remember those days!)

But hey......it helped pay for my sail boat racing adventures!!


jo