September in Illinois has provided residents with the usual sway from 90 degree dog days to 66 degree fall sunshine. Any day could be the one that requires you to fire up the heating system. The panic will set in when you realize you haven’t had a chance to properly prepare the system for its next call of duty. Proper maintenance of boilers and furnaces is mandatory for efficiency, cost savings, increased comfort and safety.
Calling your qualified contractor to perform a thorough boiler tune-up is the first step. What most property owners miss is the rebate capture for that space heating equipment maintenance. Did you know that Nicor Gas offers business customers a boiler tune-up rebate of $0.40-$0.50 per MBTUH? Other rebate opportunities include boiler reset controls, programmable thermostats, steam traps and pipe insulation. If you work with one of your utility company’s trade allies, you may not even have to wait for the rebate to come in the mail.
Boiler tune-up rebates are just the tip of the Energy Efficiency Program (EEP) iceberg. “What is an EEP,” you ask? In short, Illinois Public Act 96-0033 mandates that utility companies collect fees from customers to fund energy efficiency programs. These programs provide incentives for customers to make energy-saving improvements in their homes or businesses.
Your boiler tune-up may uncover needed repairs or retrofit options that can improve your system’s efficiency. Even a boiler just a couple of years old can be wasting energy and money. While boiler retrofits can increase efficiency, the cost of retrofits should be weighed against the cost of a new boiler, especially considering financial incentives and technological advances. Utility company rebates are available for high efficiency natural gas furnaces and space heating non-condensing and condensing boilers. Larger space heating boilers may be eligible for business custom incentives that earn up to $1.00 per therm saved.
New modulating condensing boilers provide consumers with the most advanced efficiency available. The U.S. Department of Energy rates boilers to an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating. All residential condensing boilers currently available have an AFUE of 90 percent or more. The vast majority is now rated at 95 percent, and can be as high as 98 percent thermal efficiency.
Taking advantage of new technologies, these boilers are smaller, lighter, and quieter. Modulating burners control the burner output to match the boiler’s load requirements, ensuring the best performance. A conventional single stage boiler will fire at 100 percent of capacity every time there is any call for heat regardless of the size of the demand. Modulation control allows the burner to fire as low as 20 percent maximum input and increase up to 100 percent as demand increases. Therefore, the system only uses the energy required to produce the exact amount of heating needed, with no waste.
Taking efficiency a step further, an outdoor temperature reset (OTR) on a modulating condensing boiler measures the outside temperature and further adjusts the heat produced/energy used down to the minimum required based on the specific conditions at the time. This lowers the fuel use and allows the boiler to function at the optimal level and duration to provide maximum savings and efficiency.
There are a number of calculators available online to help estimate the potential savings of upgrading to a modulating condensing boiler for space heat. To maximize energy savings and rebate capture, consider an indirect water heater that will allow the boiler to serve both space and domestic hot water heating. Indirect water heaters drastically reduce standby losses while utilizing the boiler as a heat source. The boiler provides for heated fluid which is pushed through a coiled pipe (heat exchanger) inside the storage tank to keep water hot until you need it. These units have efficiencies as high as 99 percent and standby temperature losses as low as 1/2 degree per hour.
Your utility company can provide an energy assessment and make recommendations based on calculated savings and financial incentives specific to your property. Working with a contractor who offers assessment, design and installation creates a convenient, streamlined experience. Whether your space heating system would benefit from a boiler tune-up, minor retrofit improvements, or a complete replacement, new technology and financial incentives make any project cost-effective and energy-saving.
