Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing

Heating System Replacement Tips

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.

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.

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

Top New Years Resolutions

December 31st, 2013

Thomas Swan December 10, 2013

In 2014 we will once again pledge our unwavering commitment to acts of personal and mutual endeavor. New Years resolutions are an annual opportunity to reflect on the past and dedicate oneself to a brighter future. In this article, we present some of the most common New Years resolutions made each year.

Perhaps the most important New Years resolution is to not make promises you can’t keep. Without such a promise, the task really would be a futile one! Broken resolutions are taken far too lightly, and it can be detrimental to habitually break our promises to ourselves. With that in mind, lets take a look at the most popular New Years resolutions for 2014!

Live within your means
The most important New Years resolution for 2014 is to live within your means. The current economic conditions are a woeful reminder that the recession is still going strong. However, there are many things one can do to save money and avoid debt.

Look for bargain brands when it comes to buying food, bathroom, and cleaning products. One of the biggest rip offs is the toothbrush and toothpaste business. Buy the cheapest of both and you won’t notice the difference. Next look at your utilities bill. Are you paying the cheapest rates for gas, electric, water, phone and internet? Switching companies, or combining two utilities with the same company can save money. To save even more, turn off the heating and wear an extra layer of clothing. Look at your travel costs; would catching a bus or train be cheaper than using the car? Research railcards and bus passes to find the best bargains.

Most important of all is to look at what you need and what is merely a luxury. Do you really need cable or satellite television? Do you need a monthly phone contract when a prepaid phone might be cheaper? Do you need the latest gadgets and accessories? Do you need to go abroad to have a holiday? Add up how much you’d save in the course of a year, and start saving!
Smile more and be kinder to people
The benefits of smiling are drastically understated. When I forget to smile, I get an equally stony response from others. When people smile at me, I find myself smiling back. We are reciprocal creatures; we pick up on signals from other people and respond in kind. The benefits of smiling are scientifically proven and include reduced stress levels and increased feelings of well-being. Smiling also demonstrates a basic level of kindness and respect for others because it helps to establish trust and friendship. To go beyond a mere smile, one can try volunteering for a charity, or counselling a friend or colleague through hard times.
Do more exercise
The benefits of exercise cannot be stressed enough. Regular exercise can help you look younger, sleep better, and feel happier. It can also help you avoid a plethora of illnesses and disabilities. The human race evolved to run away from predators and run after prey; it is our natural state to be active. Go for a run in the morning or evening, or sign up with your local gym. For something less strenuous, try yoga or Pilate’s.
Spend more time with family and friends
The Christmas period can make one yearn to escape the family environment, but this can be a poignant reminder that the atmosphere would be far more hospitable if we kept in touch a little more. Many people have lost their family, so we should be grateful for the company of our own relatives. Time with family can cause us to miss our friends, which helps us to appreciate the amity they bring.
Eat healthier food
We are bombarded with advice about healthy eating, but too often we are told what we can’t eat, not what we can! It’s difficult to reduce the pleasure we get from food when it isn’t replaced with anything. However, there are plenty of tasty, low-fat alternatives. If you want something sweet, avoid chocolate and have some strawberries or blueberries instead. One way to get started is to look at the fat content of everything you eat, and avoid anything with more than 5g of fat per 100g of food

Find #6 – #10 here

Source: http://thomasswan.hubpages.com/hub/Top-10-New-Years-Resolutions-2013

Are Windows a Priority?

December 27th, 2013

One of the first industries to jump onto the energy efficiency bandwagon was the window industry. Claims of huge energy savings and increased comfort are touted by the industry as advantages to replacing old windows. While these claims definitely have merit, according to a study done by Michael Blasnik & Associates window replacements fall low on the list of home improvements that will get you the most bang for your buck when it comes to energy savings.

I often hear customers protest, “But I know my windows are leaky. I can literally feel the cold draft when I am near them!” I usually reply, “I absolutely agree. But take a deep breath because that’s fresh, clean air!”

Homes need to breathe. In the average home we like to see the all the air in the home change about 8 times per day (depending on occupancy and cubic footage of the conditioned space). This air ideally comes from clean, outdoor air as opposed to polluted air that comes into the home after passing through musty crawl spaces, dusty attics and dirty garages.

So, what’s the verdict on replacing windows? In some cases, such as extremely old, single pane or damaged windows, the expensive replacement may pay off in energy savings over their life time HOWEVER generally our customers find more bang for their buck in terms of CHEE (comfort, health, and energy efficiency) in sealing up leaky ductwork and sealing off air access to crawl spaces and attics.

Want to know more about where your home gets its air and opportunities for improvements to the CHEE of your home? Read our blog entries on indoor air quality (IAQ), dust, and air sealing or call Barron to schedule a Whole Home Performance Test on your home.

Heating Your Home with Radiant Heat

December 17th, 2013

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could somehow have even heat spread out across your home, instead of heat coming out of a vent? There is a way to accomplish this goal, and it is called radiant floor heating. You may have heard of this type of heating but known little about how it works or how it could be of benefit to you. However, this method is gaining in popularity rather quickly.

So what is radiant floor heating? Described in its simplest form, radiant floor heating allows heat to be distributed directly to the floor of a home. This means that heat literally comes up from under the floor in an even fashion. Of course, this is in stark contrast to other heating methods, which may force heat out of vents at different points throughout your home. Homeowners who dislike the uneven nature of heated air flowing from vents will most definitely be intrigued by what radiant floor heating can accomplish. There are three types of radiant heat for floors, which include radiant air floors, electric radiant floors and hot water radiant floors. [1]

A common way for radiant floor heating to work is through piping placed under the floor. This piping brings the heat directly to the rooms and areas where it is needed. The end result is quite surprising for those who have never experienced it before, as the heat provided is far more even than other alternatives.
Not only do most people find radiant floor heating to be more comfortable, but it is also generally seen as a serious energy saver too. [2] Radiant floor heating is more efficient, in part, because heated air is not sent through air ducts. [3] Air ducts represent a major loss of energy efficiency and radiant floor heating bypasses this problem altogether. The end result will be a more efficient home and lower energy bills.

Another significant benefit to radiant floor heating is that the heating system is essentially out of sight and out of the way. This makes it a great option for homeowners who are looking for a clean look.

Adding to the cost benefits of radiant floor heating is the fact that the equipment lasts for a long time and is quite durable. Moreover, radiant floor heating can be integrated into existing systems as well, meaning that you don’t necessarily have to buy a new heating and cooling system.

Experts look on radiant floor heating favorable due to its energy efficiency, but many also feel that it also has some safety benefits as well. Radiant floor heating can contribute to helping wet floors dry faster since the heat is reaching the floors directly. This is something that other forms of heating just can’t accomplish.

If you are looking to get even more out of your heating dollar, it also is important to make sure that you have installed the proper home insulation. ENERGY STAR estimates that up to 20% of heating cost can be saved by adding sealing and insulation.

There are many, diverse benefits to radiant floor heating and, as a result, it is no real surprise that this type of heating is getting more attention. Those looking to make the most out of their energy dollars will want to explore this interesting option that is full of benefits.

Sources

Content Courtesy of WellHome.com

IAQ 101 (AKA Indoor Air Quality Basics)

December 16th, 2013

The heat is blowing, the furnace is purring like a kitten, the family is warm wherever they are lounging in the house. Everything seems to be good, as far as the heating system is concerned… or is it?

It seems like whenever that furnace blower comes on, Jim starts sneezing. All winter long you’re dusting every week. Sometimes its hard to sleep at night with the dry throats and all the coughing and refilling glasses of water.

Here’s the kicker: you are not alone.

For decades homeowners have been settling for this relationship with their house, but it doesn’t have to be this way.Thankfully, after decades of research and testing, we now understand the important link between your home’s contents, heating system, construction materials and you. This is an exciting industry to be in when we can honestly say there are new affordable answers to problems that have been plaguing our every day health for as long as we can remember. Indoor air quality is totally within our control.

What is Indoor Air Quality?

Well, its the the contents of the air inside your home.

Its the humidity (moisture content) of that air.
Its the visible and invisible particles floating on the drafts.
Its the specks settling on your DVR and china hutch.
Its all the little living critters that inhabit your home
Its one of the primary causes and exacerbating factors of sinus and respiratory issues.

Some Myths about dust and air contaminants:

“We bring it inside with us.” – Not usually the case. Most houses generate the majority of their air contaminants by their very construction. Depending on design and the state of your duct system, different parts of a house exist in state of negative or positive pressure. These pressures can drive air out and suck air in to the living space. Whatever this air passes through comes with it: fiberglass insulation, dirt, pest droppings, molds and more.
“My house is leaky, mostly the doors and windows.” – Doors and windows make up about 20% of the air leakage in the average home according to energy experts with the Department of Energy. The majority of the air the house “breathes” is from the crawlspace and attic through mechanical, plumbing and electrical penetrations often hidden from direct view. Furthermore, those leaky doors and windows are generally sources of GOOD fresh air, directly from outside.
“All houses have to be dusted a couple times a month.”- Well, this is a touchy subject because how often someone dusts is related to how much they are bothered by the stuff. If you find you are dusting more often than you would like, you likely have opportunities to improve this situation. A house that’s been sealed up tight and ventilated right should be able to go a month or more without significant dust build up.

Whats the answer?

Our motto at Barron Heating is “Test, don’t guess”, so the first step is to have a Home and Duct Performance Assessment completed on your home. This test will identify where the air, heat and contaminants are moving and what the best methods of controlling them might be.

Common Prescriptive Solutions Include:

Air Sealing the duct system
Insulating the duct system
Air sealing attic floor and crawl space ceiling
Air sealing leaks from inside the home
Adding a fresh air duct to the heating system
Installing whole house ventilation (timer driven exhaust fans)
Installing an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV)
Crawl space renovation and clean up
Insulating floors, walls and ceilings
And more… the answer is unique to your home!

Good luck and feel free to ASK AN EXPERT if you have any questions.

Custom Energy Efficiency Report For Your Home

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.

Tips to Lower Your Furnace/Boiler’s Energy Usage

December 10th, 2013

Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable.
Keep the temperature fairly constant, as frequent changes will utilize more energy by causing unnecessary cycling on and off. Setting back the temperature at night, however, is recommended.
Clean or replace furnace filters once a month or as needed.
Oil-fired boilers should be professionally cleaned and tuned once a year. Gas-fired equipment needs to be checked every other year.

Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they are not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
Keep draperies and shades on south-facing windows open during the heating season to allow sunlight to enter your home; close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
Close the door to an unoccupied room or area that is isolated from the rest of the house and turn down the thermostat or turn off the heat for that room or area.
Use kitchen, bath, and other ventilating fans wisely. Turn these fans off as soon as they are no longer needed. In about 1 hour, these fans can pull out a house-full of warmed or cooled air. They can also pull dangerous furnace combustion gasses into the house in some situations.
Check your ducts for air leaks. First look for sections that should be joined but have separated and then look for obvious holes.
Do not use duct tape to repair leaky ducts. Standard duct tape has been shown unreliable in sealing duct leaks. Various mastics or non-cloth-backed tapes are preferable.

Posted by Wes Diskin

Wintered-In Improvements

December 6th, 2013

This cold winter weather can sometime leave us feeling stuck inside our homes more than any other season with the wind, the rain, the snow, the sludge… oh winter! All of this extra time spent inside reminds you of all the improvements you’ve been meaning to make to your home, but never had the time for. We’ve got 3 rainy day fix-ups that will put your mind at ease and keep you feeling productive if you find yourself stuck at home.

Are your carpets stained from summer fun and tracked in dirt? Winter could be the perfect time to get them cleaned up before its too late. This stain removal recipe is from This Old House
“Mix 1 teaspoon OxiClean with 2 cups water in a spray bottle and spritz the stain liberally. Cover with a damp white rag, then apply an iron on medium-low heat and let the steam do the work.”
We say there’s no better time for a relaxing bath than in the winter time. But is your tub ‘soak ready’? Its common for tubs to get full of grime and stuck on dirt after a few uses. We have another great recipe, a favorite from Pinterest, for a cleaner made with items in your pantry that will do wonders for your bathtub. This one requires a little bit of planning ahead, but very little elbow grease
“Mix 1/2 cup of white vinegar that has been heated in the microwave for 90 seconds. Pour into a spray bottle and add 1/2 cup of dish soap. Shake gently and spray on dirty surfaces of your tub. Let sit for 1-2 hours and simply wipe away!”
Kitchen clutter is a problem we often don’t realize until the winter when we are making large meals and baking regularly. Take a few days and explore Pinterest for ideas on DIY pot racks. These racks keep your pots exposed, giving your kitchen a modern twist. The project can be as big or as small as you would like to make it. It may be easiest to buy a standalone structures or a curtain rod that you can easily attach hooks to. Our favorites are all here. Notice you can use this technique to de-clutter kitchen tools and the lids to your pots and pans as well.

Setting Temperature On Your Water Heater

December 3rd, 2013

Each year, approximately 3,800 injuries and 34 deaths occur in the home due to scalding from excessively hot tap water. The majority of these accidents involve the elderly and children under the age of five. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urges all users to lower their water heaters to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to preventing accidents, this decrease in temperature will conserve energy and save money.Most adults will suffer third-degree burns if exposed to 150 degree water for two seconds. Burns will also occur with a six-second exposure to 140 degree water or with a thirty second exposure to 130 degree water. Even if the temperature is 120 degrees, a five minute exposure could result in third-degree burns.Various procedures for lowering water temperature in the home exist, depending on the method of heating. Here are some suggestions:

Electric water heaters. Call your local electric company to adjust the thermostat. Some companies offer this service at no-charge. Hot water should not be used for at least two hours prior to setting. To make the adjustment yourself, start by shutting off current to the water heater, then turn off the circuit breaker to the heater or remove the fuse that serves the heater. Most electric water heaters have two thermostats, both of which must be set to a common temperature for proper operation. To reach these thermostats you must remove the upper and lower access panels. Adjust the thermostat following the instructions provided with the appliance. Hold a candy or meat thermometer under the faucet to check water temperature. If your water heater is aging or experiencing issues, consider whether it might be time for a replacement to ensure safety and efficiency.

Gas water heaters. Because thermostats differ, call your local gas company for instructions. Where precise temperatures are not given, hold a candy or meat thermometer under faucet for most accurate reading first thing in the morning or at least two hours after water use. If reading is too high, adjust thermostat on heater, according to manufacturers instructions, and check again with thermometer.

Furnace heater. If you do not have an electric, gas, or oil-fired water heater, you probably have an on-line hot water system. Contact your fuel supplier to have the temperature lowered. If you live in an apartment, contact the building manager to discuss possible options for lowering your tap water temperature. Reducing water temperature will not affect the heating capacity of the furnace.

The CPSC notes that a thermostat setting of 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius) may be necessary for residential water heaters to reduce or eliminate the risk of most tap water scald injuries. Consumers should consider lowering the thermostat to the lowest settings that will satisfy hot water needs for all clothing and dish washing machines. If your water heater is struggling to maintain a steady temperature, it might be worth checking how old is too old for a water heater to determine if an upgrade is necessary.

Never take hot water temperature for granted. Always hand-test before using, especially when bathing children and infants. Leaving a child unsupervised in the bathroom, even if only for a second, could cause serious injuries. Your presence at all times is the best defense against accidents and scaldings to infants and young children. If you’re considering an upgrade for safety and efficiency, remember that a water heater makes a great home investment and can provide long-term benefits for your household.

Posted by Wes Diskin

Reducing the Amount of Hot Water You Use

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

Heating System Replacement Tips