Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing Blog: Archive for the ‘savings’ Category

Go Geothermal

Tuesday, February 21st, 2017

Looking for an efficient, cost effective, and environmentally friendly heating/cooling system? A geothermal heat pump is the greenest way to go.

The basics

Even though the air temperature fluctuates a significant amount over the seasons, the ground absorbs nearly half the suns energy, keeping a more consistent temp under the surface. Geothermal heat pumps take advantage of this fact by employing earth loops– usually closed-system loops made of piping– to tap into stable underground temperatures and deliver heat or cooling when you need it.

These systems work by circulating an antifreeze solution in the loop between the ground source heat pump and your house, exchanging heat and distributing it through a conventional duct system to heat or cool your house.

Geothermal heating

It’s winter and the air outside is at its coldest. A geothermal heat pump system easily absorbs ground heat from the abundant supply stored below your home, and consumes less energy than a traditional pump system in the process.

Geothermal cooling

When warm summer weather rolls around, a geothermal heating and cooling system absorbs heat from your home and transfers it to the underground loop where it is then absorbed by the cooler earth. The geothermal heat pump uses the cool water returning from the ground to create cool, dehumidified air conditioning for your home.

Different kinds of loops

Depending on what your unique space and lifestyle requires, different kinds of earth loops may be installed.

Horizontal Loops
Often used when adequate land surface is available. Depending on geothermal system needs and space available, pipes are placed in trenches that range in length from 100 to 400 feet.

Vertical Loops
The ideal choice for a geothermal heat pump when available land surface is limited. Well drilling equipment is used to bore small-diameter holes from 100 to 400 feet deep.

Pond (Lake) Loops
Very economical to install when a large body of water is available for use by the geothermal heating and cooling system. Coils of pipe are simply placed on the bottom of the pond or lake to capture the geothermal energy.

Open loops (Well-Water Systems)
In ideal conditions, an open-loop application can be the most economical type of geothermal system. These use groundwater from a well as a direct energy source.

Images and descriptions via waterfurnace.com

Fun facts

An EPA study of energy efficiency concluded geothermal energy is the most environmentally friendly heating/cooling system.
The United States National Renewable Energy Laboratory concluded that geothermal energy is more efficient and cost-effective compared with conventional residential systems.
Available everywhere in the United States, geothermal energy can be found underground virtually anywhere.
Geothermal cost savings can be increased by geothermal energy incentives, available from federal, state, local, and utility sources.

Cost comparison

Energy and cost savings of geothermal heat pumps will vary by region and type of conventional system they’re compared with. But the energy cost of geothermal versus conventional HVAC systems will always be lower — and the geothermal system will always be greener.

Click to enlarge.

How much can you save in energy costs with a geothermal system? Calculate your home’s potential geothermal system cost savings

Looking for more information? Check out energy.gov for further resources: https://energy.gov/energysaver/geothermal-heat-pumps

Posted in Blog, Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Geothermal, High Efficiency, High Efficiency Systems, Incentives, ROI, savings | Comments Off on Go Geothermal

6 Tips to Keep Your Wallet Happy This Winter

Wednesday, December 14th, 2016

Don’t let your winter heating costs get you down

Sure, in the short walk from your heated car to your heated office the cold winter air may be refreshing, but I’m sure there are few among us who don’t appreciate the comfort of a well-heated house at the end of the day. I’ll also bet there are few among us whose energy bills don’t see some kind of spike in these winter months either. That part’s not so comforting.

But before you scramble to take up residence someplace more tropical, we’ve put together 6 tips to help keep your house warm and wallet happy this winter.

1. Go smart (with a smart/programmable thermostat)

Automatically control the temperature of your house when you’re working, sleeping, or otherwise occupied with a programmable thermostat, and you can save from 5 to 20% on your heating bill. No need to worry about remembering to turn your heat down when you leave the house–programmable thermostats take the hassle out of heating.

Tags: Energy Savings
Posted in Air Duct Cleaning, Annual Maintenance, Blower Door Testing, Comfort, Comfy Home, Duct Analysis, Duct Cleaning, Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Energy Savings, Furnace, Furnaces, Heating, High Efficiency Systems, Insulation, savings, Thermostat | Comments Off on 6 Tips to Keep Your Wallet Happy This Winter

Heating System Replacement Tips

Tuesday, January 7th, 2014

Space heating is the largest energy expense in most homes, accounting for two-thirds of annual energy bills in cold climates.

Why Buy An Energy Efficient Furnace/Boiler?

Heating is the largest energy expense in most homes, accounting for almost two-thirds of annual energy bills in colder areas of the country. Heating systems in the United States emit a billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) and about 12% of the sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emitted by the nation. Reducing energy use for heating is the single most effective way to reduce your home’s contribution to global environmental problems.

Conservation efforts and a new high-efficiency heating system can often cut your pollution output and fuel bills in half. Upgrading your furnace or boiler from an AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) of 56% to 90% in an average cold-climate house will save 1.5 tons of CO2 emissions if you heat with gas or 2.5 tons if you heat with oil and will cut your heating bill by almost 40%.

If your furnace or boiler is old, worn out, inefficient, or significantly oversized, the simplest solution is to replace it with a modern high-efficiency model. Old coal burners that were switched over to oil or gas are prime candidates for replacement, as well as gas furnaces without electronic (pilotless) ignition.

About Furnace/Boiler Efficiency

A central furnace or boiler’s efficiency is measured by annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE). AFUE is a measure of how efficient the appliance is in using fossil fuel (gas or oil) or electricity (for an electric furnace) over a typical year of use.

The efficiency of manufactured furnaces is governed by the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987 and regulated by the U.S. Department of Energy. The minimum allowed AFUE rating for a non-condensing, fossil-fueled, warm-air furnace is 78%; the rating for a fossil-fueled boiler is 80%; and the rating for a gas-fueled steam boiler is 75%. A condensing furnace or boiler condenses the water vapor produced in the combustion process and captures the heat released from this condensation. The AFUE rating for a condensing unit can be much higher (by more than 10 percentage points) than a non-condensing furnace. Although a condensing unit costs more than a non-condensing unit, the condensing unit can save you money in fuel costs over the 15 to 20-year life of the unit.

Tips for Buying a New Furnace/Boiler

If you live in a cold climate, it usually makes sense to invest in the highest efficiency system available. In milder climates with lower annual heating costs, the extra investment required to go from 80% to 90%-95% efficiency may be hard to justify.
When shopping for high-efficiency furnaces and boilers, look for dependability. Buy a system with a good warranty and a reputable company to back it up.
When buying gas and oil systems, specify sealed combustion. Sealed-combustion appliances bring outside air directly into the burner and exhaust flue gases (combustion products) directly to the outside, without the need for a draft hood or damper. They generally burn more efficiently and pose no risk of introducing dangerous combustion gases into your house. With nonsealed-combustion appliances, back-drafting of combustion gases can be a big problem, especially in tightly-sealed modern homes.

Posted by Wes Diskin

Posted in Boiler, Energy Efficiency, Furnaces, Heating, savings | Comments Off on Heating System Replacement Tips

Custom Energy Efficiency Report For Your Home

Friday, December 13th, 2013

At EnergySavvy.com you can take a free, short survey to help identify ways to save money in your home. The questions inquire about the types and frequency of energy used, kinds of appliance in your home, and the type of unit you live in – all things that you know!

There are only 5 short pages of questions to answer, then you can view your results and have them emailed to you. In the results you will see how energy efficient you are being as compared to your neighbors with similar homes. You will also see a percentage of Potential Savings. These savings are possible if you follow the provided Customized Action Plan. This plan takes into consideration what is causing your home to be less efficient.

The last thing they provide is average statistics for your area. Here you will find the typical energy prices & how efficient people in your area typically are.

Whether you are just curious about how your home stacks up in energy efficiency, or you genuinely want to make changes in your home to save money and improve your life this is a wonderful and free resource that everyone should take advantage of.

Posted in Energy Efficiency, Energy Savings, savings | Comments Off on Custom Energy Efficiency Report For Your Home

Reducing the Amount of Hot Water You Use

Tuesday, November 26th, 2013

The next time you pay your utility bill, try one simple calculation. Divide the total amount by seven. The result is the amount you spend to heat your water. During the course of a year, this cost adds up. And when you consider that 95 million households in this country pay the same percentage, it is easy to see how much money–and energy–is used to heat water.

Generally, four destination points in the home are recognized as end uses for hot water: faucets, showers, dishwashers, and washing machines. Now, you do not have to take cold showers, dine on dirty dishes, or wear dirty clothes to reduce your hot-water consumption. Less radical measures are available that will be virtually unnoticeable once you apply them.

Faucets and Showers

Simply repairing leaks in faucets and showers can save hot water. A leak of one drip per second can cost $1 per month, yet could be repaired in a few minutes for less than that.Turning the hot-water faucet off while shaving or brushing your teeth, as opposed to letting the water run, can also reduce water-heating costs. Another option is limiting the amount of time you spend in the shower.

Other actions may require a small investment of time and money. Installing low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators can save significant amounts of hot water. Low-flow shower heads can reduce hot-water consumption for bathing by 30%, yet still provide a strong, invigorating spray. Faucet aerators, when applied in commercial and multifamily buildings where water is constantly circulated, can also reduce water-heating energy consumption.
the Energy Policy Act of 1992 sets maximum water flow rates at 2.5 gallons (9.5 liters) per minute at a standard residential water pressure of 80 pounds per square inch (552 kilopascals).. However, older shower heads deliver 4 to 5 gallons (15.1 to 18.9 liters) of water per minute.

A quick test can help you determine if you should shop for a shower head replacement.

Turn on the shower to the normal pressure you use, hold a bucket that has been marked in gallon increments under the spray, and time how many seconds it takes to fill the bucket to the 1-gallon (3.8-liter) mark. If it takes less than 20 seconds, you could benefit from a low-flow showerhead. A top-quality, low-flow showerhead will cost $10 to $20 and pay for itself in energy saved within 4 months. Lower quality showerheads may simply restrict water flow, which often results in poor performance.

Automatic Dishwashers

A relatively common assumption is that washing dishes by hand saves hot water. However, washing dishes by hand several times a day could be more expensive than operating some automatic dishwashers. If properly used, an efficient dishwasher can consume less energy than washing dishes by hand, particularly when you only operate the dishwasher with full loads.

The biggest cost of operating a dishwasher comes from the energy required to heat the water before it ever makes it to the machine. Heating water for an automatic dishwasher can represent about 80% of the energy required to run this appliance.

Average dishwashers use 8 to 14 gallons (30.3 to 53 liters) of water for a complete wash cycle and require a water temperature of 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for optimum cleaning. But setting your water heater so high could result in excessive standby heat loss. This type of heat loss occurs because water is constantly heated in the storage tank, even when no hot water is used. Not to mention, a water heater temperature of 120 degrees F (48.9 degrees C) is sufficient for other uses of hot water in the home.

The question, then, is must you give up effective cleaning for hot-water energy savings? The answer is no. A “booster” heater can increase the temperature of the water entering the dishwasher to the 140 degrees F recommended for cleaning. Some dishwashers have built-in boosters that will automatically raise the water temperature, while others require manual selection before the wash cycle begins. A booster heater can add about $30 to the cost of a new dishwasher but should pay for itself in water-heating energy savings in about 1 year if you also lower your water heater temperature. Reducing the water heater temperature is not advisable, however, if your dishwasher does not have a booster heater.

Another feature that reduces hot-water use in dishwashers is the availability of cycle selections. Shorter cycles require less water, thereby reducing the energy cost. The most efficient dishwasher currently on the market can cost half as much to operate as the most inefficient model. If you are planning to purchase a new dishwasher, check the EnergyGuide labels and compare the approximate yearly energy costs among brands. Dishwashers fall into one of two categories: compact capacity or standard capacity. Although compact-capacity dishwashers may appear to be more energy efficient, they hold fewer dishes and may force you to use the appliance more frequently than you would use a standard-capacity model. In this case, your energy costs could be higher than with the standard-capacity dishwasher.

Washing Machines

Up to 90% of operating washing machines is associated with the energy needed to heat the water. However, washing machines do not require a minimum temperature for optimum cleaning. Either cold or warm water can be used for washing most laundry loads; cold water is always sufficient for rinsing. Make sure you follow the cold-water washing instructions for your particular laundry detergent. Washing only full loads is another good rule of thumb for reducing hot-water consumption in clothes washers.

As you would for dishwashers, consult the Energy Guide labels when shopping for a new washing machine. Inefficient washing machines can cost three times as much to operate as efficient machines. Select a machine that allows you to adjust the water temperature and water levels for the size of the load. Also, front-loading machines use less water and, consequently, less energy than top loaders. However, in this country, front loaders are not as widely available as top loaders. Keep in mind that the capacity of front loaders may be smaller than that of most top-loading machines.

Smaller capacity washing machines often have better Energy Guide ratings. However, a reduced capacity might cause you to increase the number of loads you wash and possibly increase your energy costs.

Reducing hot-water usage is primarily a matter of common sense and exerting a little extra effort to not be wasteful. Once you have applied a few simple, low-cost measures for reducing hot-water consumption, you may want to consider water-heating system improvements if you wish to further reduce your energy bill.

Posted by Wes Diskin

Posted in Dishwasher, Faucets, Hot Water, savings, Shower, Washing Machine, Water | Comments Off on Reducing the Amount of Hot Water You Use

Turning down the heat will save you money. Simple really

Tuesday, November 12th, 2013

There are literally dozens of things you can do to cut back on your heating (and cooling) costs. These range from things like getting a high energy efficiency system to just making sure that you have adequate insulation in all parts of your house. But too many people overlook one of the simplest things that you can do to cut down on your monthly heating bill, and that is to turn the thermostat down.

Of course, you did not pay for that high tech home comfort system just so that you could walk around cold all winter long. You certainly want to keep your house at a temperature that is comfortable, but what does that really mean?

The normal default setting for a home heating system is usually somewhere between 72°F and 75°F. If you have your thermostat set somewhere in this range in the winter, you are probably quite comfortable indoors. In fact, you might not even need a sweater. But would you really notice if it was a degree or two cooler? Would it be incredibly inconvenient to put on a sweater or sweatshirt after all?

The truth is that most of us will be just as comfortable at 69°F as we are at 72°F, and the effect that small adjustment can have on your heating bill is actually pretty significant. In fact, you will save an average of 3% on your monthly bill for every degree you turn your thermostat down. Drop the temperature down by three or four degrees and that will give you up to a 10% monthly savings – hardly something to turn up your nose at.

And setting the regular temperature in your house a bit lower is not the only way your thermostat settings can save you money. You will also save quite a bit if you take the time to turn down the temperature when you leave the house and when you go to bed at night. There simply is no reason to pay to heat your house when you are not there and you will certainly be rewarded with a lower energy bill for your efforts.

Posted by Wes Diskin

Posted in Comfort, Heating, savings | Comments Off on Turning down the heat will save you money. Simple really

Get Your Federal Tax Credits Before 2014!

Friday, October 4th, 2013

When you combine these with local rebates $8000 heat pump systems are going for $4080. Ductless Heat Pumps that are $4500 are going for $1800. There has NEVER been a better time to upgrade and the opportunity

We have a full list of available rebates at that offer even more ways to save on improving the comfort and efficiency of your home.

Press Release Jan. 3rd, 2013:

Fiscal cliff avoidance legislation, signed into law by President Obama on January 2, also retroactively reinstated 25C tax credits for highly efficient HVAC and water heating equipment.

The bill – among many other tax provisions – extends the HVAC/water heater tax credits that expired in 2011 from Jan.1, 1012, until Dec. 31, 2013. The tax credits cover qualified equipment included in Section 25C of the Internal Revenue Code.
The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) explained that, because the credits were made retroactive to Jan. 1, 2012, they apply to qualified equipment installed any time after Dec. 31, 2011. Qualified equipment includes:

Water heaters ($300 tax credit)

electric heat pump water heaters with an energy factor of at least 2.0
natural gas, propane, or oil water heaters with an energy factor of at least 0.82 or a thermal efficiency of at least

90% Furnaces ($150 tax credit)

natural gas, propane, or oil furnaces with an AFUE of at least 95

Boilers ($150 tax credit)

natural gas, propane, or oil boilers with an AFUE of at least 95

Air-conditioners and heat pumps ($300 tax credit)

split system central air-conditioners with the highest efficiency CEE tier as of Jan. 1, 2009 (16 SEER; 13 EER)
packaged central air-conditioners with the highest efficiency CEE tier as of Jan. 1, 2009 (14 SEER; 12 EER)
split system electric heat pumps with the highest efficiency CEE tier as of Jan. 1, 2009 (8.5 HSPF; 12.5 EER; 15 SEER)
packaged electric heat pumps with the highest efficiency CEE tier as of Jan. 1, 2009 (8.0 HSPF; 12.0 EER; 14
SEER)

Advanced main air circulating fan ($50 tax credit)

a fan used in a natural gas, propane, or oil furnace with an annual electricity use of no more than 2% of the total
energy use of the furnace

Posted in Home Improvement, rebates, savings, taxcredits | Comments Off on Get Your Federal Tax Credits Before 2014!

Understanding Efficiency Ratings of Furnaces

Thursday, March 21st, 2013

A central furnace or boiler’s efficiency is measured by annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE). The Federal Trade Commission requires new furnaces or boilers to display their AFUE so consumers can compare heating efficiencies of various models. AFUE is a measure of how efficient the appliance is in the energy in its fuel over the course of a typical year.

Specifically, AFUE is the ratio of heat output of the furnace or boiler compared to the total energy consumed by a furnace or boiler. An AFUE of 90% means that 90% of the energy in the fuel becomes heat for the home and the other 10% escapes up the chimney and elsewhere. AFUE doesn’t include the heat losses of the duct system or piping, which can be as much as 35% of the energy for output of the furnace when ducts are located in the attic.

An all-electric furnace or boiler has no flue loss through a chimney. The AFUE rating for an all-electric furnace or boiler is between 95% and 100%. The lower values are for units installed outdoors because they have greater jacket heat loss. However, despite their high efficiency, the higher cost of electricity in most parts of the country makes all-electric furnaces or boilers an uneconomic choice. If you are interested in electric heating, consider installing a heat pump system.

The minimum allowed AFUE rating for a non-condensing fossil-fueled, warm-air furnace is 78%; the minimum rating for a fossil-fueled boiler is 80%; and the minimum rating for a gas-fueled steam boiler is 75%. A condensing furnace or boiler condenses the water vapor produced in the combustion process and uses the heat from this condensation. The AFUE rating for a condensing unit can be much higher (by more than 10 percentage points) than a non-condensing furnace. Although condensing units cost more than non-condensing units, the condensing unit can save you money in fuel costs over the 15- to 20-year life of the unit, and is a particularly wise investment in cold climates.

You can identify and compare a system’s efficiency by not only its AFUE but also by its equipment features, listed below.

Old, low-efficiency heating systems:

Natural draft that creates a flow of combustion gases
Continuous pilot light
Heavy heat exchanger
68%–72% AFUE

Mid-efficiency heating systems:

Exhaust fan controls the flow of combustion air and combustion gases more precisely
Electronic ignition (no pilot light)
Compact size and lighter weight to reduce cycling losses
Small-diameter flue pipe
80%–83% AFUE

High-efficiency heating systems:

Condensing flue gases in a second heat exchanger for extra efficiency
Sealed combustion
90%–97% AFUE