Whilst the UK basked in warm weather deep into September, the reality is that winter is just around the corner.

There is little doubt London in the winter can be a beautiful sight to behold, with festive lights complementing the frosty backdrop of some of our iconic shops and monuments. That special atmosphere is offset by the chilly weather though and for London residents, the time is approaching to consider how your home is heated.

For many homeowners, it may be too late this month to consider swapping your heating system this year, but unlike London of old, where fires were lit and smog descended, the new world offers far more varied and sustainable ways of heating your home.

For people of means, there are several methods you might want to investigate ahead of renovating your heating system. We have collected four home heating options that may form part of your next project, be it this autumn or at some point in the future.

Electric

Electric heating is one of the most convenient, if not the most cost-efficient. For heating smaller homes, such as apartments and flats, electric storage heaters are probably the most common method used, but unless you have an extremely specific requirement for electric, it would not be entirely advisable to use it as a new installation. You might want storage heaters, which warm bricks up inside them that remain heated for a significant time, because of space issues or the fact they require far less maintenance.

Biomass

A biomass boiler takes up plenty of space, but for homeowners in London with land and resources, it would offer a sustainable and green method of heating your home. Simply put, a biomass boiler burns anything that once grew as a plant. That includes wood pellets, which are man-made from natural materials, wood chips, logs and even materials such as rapeseed pellets. They are widely regarded as carbon neutral and whilst they will only suit a specific installation, they might appeal to people of means who want to focus on green methods of keeping warm.

Gas

There are four million homes in the United Kingdom not on the gas mains supply, but London is well covered and gas boilers are one of the most common found in the nation’s capital. That might not be the case for much longer though; the UK Government are targeting ‘net zero’ by 2050 and that legislation is likely to affect new gas boiler installations. That means if you are considering a new gas boiler install, it would be advisable to move sooner, rather than later. Whilst future rules are one aspect to consider with a gas boiler, another is the cost of fitting such an appliance. Depending on which household is conducting the work, HomeServe outlines that a new boiler may have varying costs, with a number of factors contributing to cost. Location of the boiler, the ease of access and the amount of other remedial work needed to accommodate your new install all affect how much you are likely to pay, over and above the appliance itself.

Ground Source Heat Pump

If ethics are at the centre of your home and you want a truly sustainable method, then a Ground Source Heat Pump could be the choice for you. Like the biomass boiler, a GSP would only suit a certain type of home and people of certain means, but it is an attractive option that will become increasingly common over the next few years. Premier Construction News highlights how 60 new homes in Oxford have recently been given the green light to proceed using GSP’s, a bold step forward for the industry. A GSP takes heat from deep underground and uses it to heat your water, pumping it back into your home once it is warm. In theory, they are fully sustainable and relatively cheap to run, but that initial install will set you back a good sum – over £10,000. However, once installed, you will have a sustainable and environmentally friendly method of heating your chilly London home for many years to come.

As you’ll be spending more time in the home once the weather turns cooler, why not check out our article titled 5 Kitchen Must Haves for Self Made Chefs and make sure you can be extra ambitious with your culinary efforts?