MANCHESTER, N.H. -- High heating costs have some people considering alternatives as winter approaches, television news station WMUR reported.

Alternative Heating Methods Can Save Money

Although oil prices have come down in recent days, the cost of heating a home is still higher than it was last year. Some residents are taking a look at alternative heat sources, including some old ideas, to heat their homes.

"Probably in the last two months, we've had more people here than we've had in two years," said Scott Keller of Solar Components.

Keller said solar technology is moving a lot faster at Solar Components in Manchester than it has in the past. One popular product is an air heater that attaches to a southern wall and provides free heat.

"Essentially, it's a black box," Keller said. "It lets the sun in, the plate gets hot and a small fan draws air into the house."

The heater costs about $500.

Another popular item is a solar hot water system. Homeowner Dave Girard said that he was nervous at first about putting solar panels on his Goffstown, N.H., home.

"Looking at them, they're not very attractive to see on a house," Girard said.

Potential savings, though, made the panels worth it, Girard said. When the sun shines, he can cut his hot water bill in half.

"When we have a sunny day, I could use that water and not turn on the furnace," Girard said.

When the sun is not shining, the traditional hot water system kicks in. Solar-powered water heaters range from $5,000 to $10,000. Manufacturers said the investment can pay itself off in about five years.

Another option is a device like the Infinity 96, a hybrid furnace that the manufacturer says can cut heating bills almost in half, even on some of the coldest days.

"We had a cold day, and I turned on the heat knowing I wasn't using an ounce of propane," said homeowner Mary Mosher. "It made me a happy camper."

Mosher uses a hybrid furnace in her Bedford home. Most of the time, it relies only on a heat pump outside the house, not fossil fuels.

"You're actually extracting heat from the outside temperature from the air," sad Dale Sanford of Sanford Temperature Control. "Even though it's 30 degrees outside, you can heat your home, no problem. You're extracting heat from air, not using air."

When temperatures drop below 30 degrees, the outdoor coil is not effective, and that's when the traditional propane part of the system turns on.

The heat pump can also work as an air conditioner by pulling heat from outside air. Mosher said it's a lot less expensive than typical air conditioning.

"We already saw our electric bill in July and August go down by 20 percent," she said.

The hybrid system costs $10,000 to $15,000. A traditional furnace costs about half that, but Sanford estimated that the upfront costs could be paid off in four years.

Other types of systems completely eliminate the use of fossil fuels. In Epping, Skilling and Sons is drilling 1,500 feet down below future apartment buildings for geothermal energy.

The buildings will be outfitted with systems that run water deep into the earth to capture energy below the ground's surface.

"We take energy out of the water and utilize that to heat apartments and cool apartments in the summertime," said Samir Khana, a partner in the apartment development.

The system uses an electric heat pump, similar to the hybrid system. But the pump can pull warmth from the groundwater for heating and send air heat into the ground for cooling. The constant ground temperature means less work and less electricity use.

"We've heard anywhere from 30 percent to 50 percent savings on energy bills," Khana said.

For two 41-unit buildings, the cost is $1.5 million. A traditional system runs about $800,000. Project managers said they hope to recoup their upfront money in 3½ years.

Experts said the savings on the systems can vary from location to location, and even the most advanced system won't do much if it's installed in a home that's not insulated properly.