|
|
 |
   |
   |
 |
 |
 Heating Heating your home can consume up to 70% of your total energy costs. That's why choosing the proper heating system, sizing it properly and seeing that it's installed correctly can greatly improve the energy efficiency of your new home. Choices for heating include: Oil/gas-fired boilers with hydronic baseboards Oil/gas-fired forced hot air furnace Radiant floor heating Ground-source heat pumps Boilers/furnaces 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:
Ground Source Heat Pumps As their name implies, ground source heat pumps, also called geo-thermal heat pumps, use the constant temperature of the ground below the frost line to both heat and cool your home. Ground source heat pumps are typically more expensive than conventional heating systems and they require large areas of land (so the heating/cooling loop for the pump can be buried). However, heat pumps typically last 25 years or more. Most ground source heat pumps are rated according to the Coefficients of Performance (COP), with a COP of 4.5 being the best. Some heat pumps are rated using the Heating Season Performance Factor (HSPF). Select a unit with a HSPF of 7.5 or greater. Learn more about PSNH incentives for installing a ground source heat pump in your new home. Radiant Floor Heating This type of system, which circulates hot water through tubing that's fastened under a wood floor or embedded in concrete, gives constant heat with very even distribution. But one of its greatest benefits is the 10-20% gain in energy efficiency, thanks to lower boiler operating temperatures. Water Heating Choose a water heater that's the right size for your home. A heater that's too small won't keep up with demand. A heater that's too large will increase standby (storage) losses. Types of water heaters You'll gain efficiency if you can locate the water heater as close as possible to kitchen and bath areas, thereby decreasing the hot water pipe length and subsequent heat loss. Make sure all hot water pipes are insulated to R6 or better throughout their entire length. The water heater itself should be wrapped with an R16 insulation blanket to minimize standby losses. Water pipes should never be located in outside walls. Finally, set the hot water temperature to 120 degrees. In addition to increasing safety, it lowers standby heat loss. If hotter water is needed for dishwashing, it's better to purchase a dishwasher that has a booster heater.
|