Tips for Efficient Home Heating
Heating accounts for the largest contributor to energy expense in many homes. And with this cost on the rise, it is essential for homeowners to make sure that the system they are using is energy-efficient and cost-effective. To continually enjoy the warmth and comfort inside your homes without breaking the bank; here are helpful tips for efficient home heating.
1. If your boiler or furnace has been in use for more than 20 years, consider replacing your current system as its efficiency would now only amount to about 65%. Other factors to help you decide if your heating system needs replacement are:
• Your old gas furnace operates without an induced draft fan or vent dampers. The absence of such features causes the heated air to get restricted from going up the chimney in case the home heating system is off.
• Your old coal burner is a model that was previously shifted over to gas or oil.
2. If your home heating system is about 10 to 20 years of age but is not giving off the needed warmth or your utility bills are considerably high, hire a certified heating contractor to conduct an evaluation of your current system. If your system seems to be fine, you can have it tuned up and have your contractor to “walk-through” your home to point out maintenance-needing areas that might be the cause of your energy problems.
Here are some of the most common problems that you can have fixed to add to the efficiency of your home heating:
• Improper insulation in the basement, adjoining walls to the garage, attic and attic stairway.
Tip: When shopping for home insulation products, look for the R-value that indicates the product’s insulating power.
• Have a programmable thermostat and aquastat integrated into the system that would automatically adjust temperatures.
• The air flow system supporting your home heating will achieve peak efficiency if the ducts do not leak and are properly insulated. Ceiling fans can also help promote air circulation within homes.
3. But even if your home heating unit is not that old but you think is inefficient, buying a new unit would be a great investment. Specially built to meet the modern needs of homes, you as a homeowner could greatly benefit from the high-efficient features that newer units have. And when you try to calculate the costs of having the new home heating unit bought and installed versus your annual operating and fuel costs, you will see how great the return on investment would be. And the best thing is that when fuel prices go up, so does your savings.
4. Each house has been uniquely built making it quite difficult to know for sure which new home heating system would best work for you. A qualified contractor with vast knowledge and experience on high-efficiency systems, preferably with a North American Technician Excellence (NATE) training, can help you out on this task. Before recommending any home heating system, he should have conducted a home inspection and heat loss calculation.
Craftsmen Network
New York, NY
1. If your boiler or furnace has been in use for more than 20 years, consider replacing your current system as its efficiency would now only amount to about 65%. Other factors to help you decide if your heating system needs replacement are:
• Your old gas furnace operates without an induced draft fan or vent dampers. The absence of such features causes the heated air to get restricted from going up the chimney in case the home heating system is off.
• Your old coal burner is a model that was previously shifted over to gas or oil.
2. If your home heating system is about 10 to 20 years of age but is not giving off the needed warmth or your utility bills are considerably high, hire a certified heating contractor to conduct an evaluation of your current system. If your system seems to be fine, you can have it tuned up and have your contractor to “walk-through” your home to point out maintenance-needing areas that might be the cause of your energy problems.
Here are some of the most common problems that you can have fixed to add to the efficiency of your home heating:
• Improper insulation in the basement, adjoining walls to the garage, attic and attic stairway.
Tip: When shopping for home insulation products, look for the R-value that indicates the product’s insulating power.
• Have a programmable thermostat and aquastat integrated into the system that would automatically adjust temperatures.
• The air flow system supporting your home heating will achieve peak efficiency if the ducts do not leak and are properly insulated. Ceiling fans can also help promote air circulation within homes.
3. But even if your home heating unit is not that old but you think is inefficient, buying a new unit would be a great investment. Specially built to meet the modern needs of homes, you as a homeowner could greatly benefit from the high-efficient features that newer units have. And when you try to calculate the costs of having the new home heating unit bought and installed versus your annual operating and fuel costs, you will see how great the return on investment would be. And the best thing is that when fuel prices go up, so does your savings.
4. Each house has been uniquely built making it quite difficult to know for sure which new home heating system would best work for you. A qualified contractor with vast knowledge and experience on high-efficiency systems, preferably with a North American Technician Excellence (NATE) training, can help you out on this task. Before recommending any home heating system, he should have conducted a home inspection and heat loss calculation.
Craftsmen Network
New York, NY
