• Evaluate Home Heating Systems

• Add a Fireplace to Your Home Heating System

• Select a Water Heating System

• Find Heating Systems on eBay

• Buy Heating Systems With Confidence

Evaluate Home Heating Systems

Evaluate Home Heating Systems

Assess the cost and availability of each energy source in your area before you decide what type of fuel your heater will use. Some energy sources are more readily available and less expensive in certain areas than others. Popular choices include:

• Gas heaters: Natural gas heaters generally run more efficiently and cause less pollution than electric or solid fuel heaters. You can determine the heater’s fuel efficiency by checking its Energy Star rating (a number between one and six; a higher number indicates higher efficiency). When heating your home using gas, you can choose central gas heating to warm the whole home or gas space heaters to heat only certain rooms. You can also use your central gas heating to heat only certain areas of your home, called “zoning.” Using a timer can also cut down on heating costs.

• Electric heaters: Electric heaters are the most commonly used type of heater, but are significantly less efficient than gas heaters, and can be up to three times more expensive to operate. Electric space heaters can be used to heat a room and should be used sparingly; they’re best for rooms that are only used for part of the day, like bedrooms or bathrooms. Another electric heating option is slab heating, where a central heating system heats a concrete slab floor using electric cables in the floor.

• Solid fuel heaters: A heating system involving a chimney or flue that generally uses wood or coal to heat the house is a solid fuel heater. While wood and coal are cheap and readily available, they create more pollution and are less efficient than gas or electric.

• Portable heaters: Small, lightweight portable heaters are made to heat single rooms or small areas for a limited amount of time. While much cheaper to buy than other heating systems, they are much more costly to run.

• Solar heaters: Solar heaters can cost a bit up front, but there are no continuing fuel costs and the system does not create pollution. While solar power is a constant, renewable source of energy, it can be less dependable in cloudy weather.

Explore heating system features

After you’ve chosen what type of fuel your heater will use, decide which other features are important to you.

• Variable settings: A heater with variable settings gives you more control over your energy consumption and heat output. Variable settings are especially useful when the weather gets warmer.

• Built-in blower or fan: Use of a built-in blower or fan in conjunction with a heating system is another effective way to conserve energy. A blower or fan helps distribute heat throughout your home, increasing efficiency.

• Safety features: Consider safety when buying a new heater. Options such as automatic shutoffs, anti-tipping devices, and heat guards help ensure that your heating system is safe.

• Power: Be careful to match the BTU (British thermal unit) output to the size of your home. You want to make sure that you aren’t using a unit that is too powerful, wasting energy and money.

Add a Fireplace to Your Home Heating System

Add a Fireplace to Your Home Heating System

You can heat your house just using a fireplace or using a fireplace in conjunction with another heating system. For homes that were built without a fireplace and chimney, pre-fabricated fireplaces make it simple to include one now.

Select a built-in or freestanding fireplace

Choose between a built-in unit that looks and acts very much like a regular fireplace, and a freestanding unit that is easier to install and is lighter weight. Either way, you’ll need to install a metal chimney that is insulating, so that it can handle the smoke.

Choose pre-fabricated fireplaces

Prefabricated fireplaces come in many shapes and sizes, so make sure the one you choose makes sense for the dimensions of the room, and goes well with the style of your home.

Evaluate gas and wood fireplaces

Each type of fireplace has its benefits and challenges. A gas fireplace is easier to install, as it only requires a vent through a wall. It burns ceramic or imitation logs, which are often lit with the flick of a switch. A wood-burning fireplace feels more authentic, but is more difficult to install and maintain.

Add the finishing touches to your fireplace

Once you’ve installed the fireplace, you’ll probably want to add some finishing touches, like a nice mantel and a hearth and surround, often made from tile, marble, or stone. You may also want to buy fireplace tools and afireplace screen to protect from sparks.

Select a Water Heating System

Select a Water Heating System

Both storage tank and tankless water heating systems are available in liquid propane, electric, and natural gas models.

• Storage tank water heaters: Storage tank water heaters store heated water in an insulated tank until it is used. Generally, the gas models run more efficiently and cheaply than the electric units.

• Tankless water heaters: Tankless water heaters heat water as needed. Water flows through coils on its way to the pipes. Tankless water heaters are more efficient than storage tank units.

Consider how much each model will cost to run and maintain. Checking the Energy Star rating, a measure of energy efficiency, is a good place to start.

If your needs change, especially if you build on to your home, you may want to go to a bigger storage tank, and move its location to make more room.

If you have a garage, or a freestanding unit outside your home, you can consider a point-of-use water heater, which uses a smaller tank and is meant to heat a limited area.

Find Heating Systems on eBay

Find Heating Systems on eBay

Once you know what type of heating system you want, go to the Home & Garden portal, click Heating, Cooling & Air, and start searching for items on eBay.

• Categories: The Categories list on the left side of each page will help you narrow down your listings by item type. You'll find links for Furnaces & Heaters and more. As you dig deeper into the site you'll also be able to narrow down your choice by brand.

• Keyword search: Search eBay listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find solar heating systems, type "solar heating" (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Heating Systems With Confidence

Buy Heating Systems With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,000.

• eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.