Got a boiler room in your home or company’s basement? Then you’ve got an efficient and consistent source of heat during the winter: because boilers heat water which radiates throughout the building, they provide even, long-lasting comfort during the winter months.
But you still don’t want to spend more on gas or heating oil than you have to… and you definitely don’t want to put your family, co-workers, or employees in danger. Along with American Trainco, we’ve got some tips and ideas for staying safe and warm this Winter… without blowing up the utility bills.
Running Your Boiler More Efficiently
Boilers are already more efficient that furnaces, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t save any more on your heating bills. According to the US Department of Energy, there are a number of retrofits that will keep your boiler running more efficiently:
- Add a flue damper: Losing heat up the chimney of your boiler? A flue (or chimney) damper may be a good retrofit for an older and/or larger boiler, or one that produces steam (vs just hot water).
- Install an intermittent ignition device: Older boilers often use a pilot light, which means there’s always fuel being burned. An intermittent ignition device requires professional installation, but can save you some money on fuel.
- Derate (or down-fire) the gas burners: Many boilers are bigger than they need to be, so you’re paying to heat more space than you actually have. Derating, or “down-firing,” is a process that requires a professional that can “right-size” the boiler’s heating capacity (and, by extension, fuel consumption).
- Adjust your boiler’s aquastats: As with a hot water heater, you may be running the temperature in your hot water boiler higher than you need it. Adjusting the temperature – particularly in warmer months – will save you fuel and money.
- Install a time delay relay: This relatively cheap and simple adjustment to the thermostat’s timing on a hot water boiler can cut your fuel use by up to 10%.
Of course, if you are running an older system, you may want to consider replacing it with a new (and often very efficient) boiler.
Maintaining Safety In The Boiler Room
While boilers are more efficient than furnaces, they do present some unique dangers, also. Our friends at American Trainco have created this infographic on how to maintain a safe boiler room. Got ideas or suggestions from your own experience? Share them with us…
Presented by Americantrainco.com
This post is generously supported by American Trainco