|
|
 |
   |
   |
 |
 |
 Heating With the envelope of your house properly sealed and the proper levels of insulation installed, it pays to look at your home's heating system. Maintenance If you heat with an oil or gas-fired boiler, you'll improve efficiency and save money by having the boiler serviced by a qualified technician once a year before the heating season. If you heat with an oil or gas forced hot air furnace, be sure to change the filters once a month during the heating season. Regular replacement of the filter can improve furnace efficiency. Replacement Replacing a gas/oil boiler or furnace costs many thousands of dollars and it may not make economic sense to replace it with a newer, more efficient model. However, if your oil/gas boiler or furnace is more than 15 years old, it's also likely near the end of its useful life. In that case replacing the unit with a more efficient model makes sense. Boilers and furnaces are rated by their annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) and are designed to be condensing or non-condensing. Condensing units are more efficient because any heat left in the exhaust is removed to the point that any water vapor condenses. The result is that the additional heat retrieved during condensation is used to heat the home. Energy gains can be significant:
New boiler systems also use less electricity because the pumps that circulate water to the baseboards are smaller and more efficient. Lowering the cost of electric heat If your home has permanently installed electric heat, PSNH has a program that offers funding for energy efficiency upgrades, including insulation, envelope sealing and lighting and appliance improvements. For more information go to NH Home Performance with Energy Star®, or visit Heatsmart. Learn more about heating systems.
|