Few living spaces reflect the beauty and simplicity of nature than a yurt. Yurts bring us closer to our natural surroundings from their rounded structure, skylight lighting, and open-plan living.
Yurts are traditional and have been around for centuries, but modern yurts can range from simple portable structures to permanent homes with electricity, plumbing, and interior walls. Due to the nature of the yurt build, it is meant to be energy-efficient and lower the impact on the environment.
Despite being tent-like structures popular among rugged outdoor enthusiasts, yurts are not difficult to heat. With modern technology, your yurt can stay warm regardless of the weather for cozy year-round living.
9 Easy Ways To Heat Your Yurt
Here are some easy and reliable ways to heat your yurt. Note, it is always wise to have two heating sources. If one fails, the other one can provide backup.
1. Electric Heating
Electric heaters are a popular, efficient option for heating your yurt’s living space. Electric heaters can be portable or fixed.
Fixed electric heaters are mounted either on the wall or the baseboard, whereas space heaters are mobile and can heat any room needing a temperature rise.
Of course, the output of the electric heater will depend on the type and model, so you’ll have to find one that works to make your space just the right level of cozy.
2. Gas Heating
Natural gas is cheaper than other home heating options and could save on energy costs for years to come. However, when you decide to use gas as a heating mechanism, it is prudent that you install high-efficiency gas heating systems.
Various systems are available to fit your needs and budget, including forced-air furnaces, hydronic heating, combo systems with water heating, and in-wall heating. Delivering warmed air via a furnace and system of ducts is the most common method of gas heating in a yurt.
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3. Solar Heating
Using the sun’s heat is the most intuitive energy method to heat your space and make it cozy. While considering using solar as your heating mechanism, you should understand that there are two distinct ways you can do it:
- Passive solar space heating
- Active solar space heating.
Passive solar space heating uses the design of your yurt to absorb, store, and redistribute thermal energy without mechanical equipment. You can achieve this by using specific materials, architectural features, and an understanding of thermal fluids.
While built on many of the same concepts as passive, active space heating differs vastly in versatility and complexity.
Solar collectors are required in active heating to absorb the thermal energy and redistribute it. These collectors differ from passive systems in their energy storage and design.
4. Radiant Flooring
You might also want to consider heating your yurt from the floor. To do this, radiant flooring is your answer. Whether it is an electric or water-based radiant flooring system, both heat the room consistently from the bottom up.
The water system runs warm water through pipes under the floor to create the heating effect, whereas electrical heating runs heating wires underneath the floor.
Unlike typical radiators, which may make a room seem chilly or overheated at times, underfloor heating does not overheat. Instead, it keeps the temperature you specify using an on-the-wall thermostat.
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5. Use a Wood Stove
Another popular and cozy method of heating a yurt is using a wood stove. A quality stove produces uniform heat over a long time.
Notably, a yurt burner should be bigger than one for a conventional room of the same size since a yurt has a somewhat faster rate of heat loss than a typical structure. In addition, yurts have a high ceiling, resulting in more cubic volume.
6. Use a Pellet Stove
A pellet stove heats your yurt by burning compressed wood. When fuel is consistently fed into a burn pot area, it provides a steady flame that needs little to no physical changes.
Today’s central heating systems may reach an efficiency ratio of more than 90% when powered by wood pellets as a sustainable energy source.
Many pellet stoves are self-igniting and cycle on and off using a thermostat.
Remote controls may be used to operate stoves that have automatic ignition. Pellet stoves are often used in conjunction with pelletized wood.
Many pellet stoves, however, will also burn fuels such as grain, or wood chips. In certain pellet burners, these fuels may be a mixture of wood pellets.
7. Propane Heating
Propane heaters are an efficient way to quickly heat a medium to large yurt using liquid propane as a fuel. The efficiency of these heaters has rapidly improved over the years.
Nowadays, many models boast a near 99 percent efficiency, which allows you to enjoy them inside your yurt.
Finding the best propane heater for your sentimental yurt depends on the heat output you need, and most importantly, safety features that will help keep you and your family safe and warm.
8. Mini-Split Systems
Mini-splits are heating and cooling systems that will allow you to control the temperatures in the yurt. Mini-split heat pumps are not only phenomenal solutions for your yurt, but they also make excellent retrofit add-ons.
They have “non-ducted” heating systems, such as hydronic, radiant panels, and space heaters. In addition, they are exceptionally energy efficient in yurts that require only a small space conditioning system.
9. Insulation
A well-built yurt can accommodate people all year round. However, it is crucial to ensure adequate insulation to live comfortably and sustainably in a yurt.
Even when you build a yurt with insulation, you will probably need to find other supplementary means of heating. Using reflective insulation in yurts is the most common method of adding insulation to the structure.
It is also essential to add insulation to your floor as you might lose heat from your flooring. You can do this by installing rigid foam insulation between the joists of the floor.
Also, having plywood skirting around the yurt will enhance insulation by stopping cold air from coming in beneath the floor. Remember, successful heating depends on your yurt’s size, climate, power source, and the type of heat you want. The key is a reliable, consistent heat source that is sufficient for the size of your yurt.
