READY Energy Conservation Chapter - · PDF filevolume. Increased excess air increases the volume of combustion gases, which also ... design, chimney draft, the operating temperature

The technicianas an energy expert

A service technician must ensure that thecustomer’s heating system is operating asefficiently as possible. Efficient equipmentis more reliable and cleaner burning.Customers with efficient heating equipmentare more satisfied with their oil dealer andwith Oilheat. In this chapter, we willexamine what constitutes an efficientsystem, how heating systems waste energy,and what we can do to be sure our custom-ers are getting the most comfort for theirenergy dollar.

As an energy expertyou must:

• Inform customers of new technol-ogy advances—Customers trust techni-cians; therefore, we can supply valuableadvice to customers.

• Install and adjust equipment forpeak efficiency—Properly adjusted Oilheatequipment is the safest, most reliable, mostefficient, cleanest, most environmentallyfriendly and most comfortable heat avail-able.

• Service the equipment—Takeresponsibility for the operation of yourcustomer’s equipment.

• Keep track of new technology

• Measure and record combustionefficiency—Use test instruments to ensurecustomer’s equipment is operating at its

peak potential and cleanliness whileproducing minimal air emissions andcarbon monoxide levels.

Combustionefficiency tests

Using instruments improves efficiency,ensures minimal smoke and soot, lowers airpollution emissions, and ensures safeoperation. It also cuts call backs, improvesour image and increases customer satisfac-tion.

Steady state vs heatingsystem efficiency

Combustion efficiency tests are vital toproper servicing of equipment; however,they only measure the efficiency when theburner is running. Heating System Effi-ciency is the actual heating efficiency ofthe home for the year. (It is also sometimescalled Seasonal Efficiency.) You cannotmeasure it on a service call. It involves theamount of fuel consumed, the total degreedays for the year, the temperature thecustomer heated their home to all year, andthe amount of hot water consumed. It is thedifference between the Btus purchased andBtus used.

Heat lossesin oilheating systems

The purpose of an oilheating system isto transfer the heat from the burner flameto the home. No heating system, regardless

Energy ConservationChapter 16

Chapter 16—Energy Conservation 16-3

Chapter 16Energy Conservation

The actual efficiency of an oilheating systemis affected by many factors, including:

Installation factors:

• Selection of burner/boiler orburner/furnace

• Chimney design or upgrades

• Boiler or furnace sizing

• Boiler water or furnace air operatingtemperatures

• Piping or ducting design

• Burner adjustment

• Isolated combustion air.

Service procedures:

• Barometric damper setting

• Sealing air leaks into the boiler orfurnace

• Burner adjustment: (excess airand smoke)

• Cleaning boiler or furnace heattransfer surfaces

• Proper nozzle sizing.

Other factors that affect efficiency:

• Location of unit

• Chimney Draft—height, materials,construction

• Source of combustion and draftrelief air

• Burner design & operating pressure

• Zoning of distribution system

of the fuel it uses, can operate at 100percent efficiency. Some heating energy islost before it ever reaches the radiators,convectors or supply registers in the house.These losses reduce overall system effec-tiveness and increase fuel use. It is impor-tant we understand the many types of heatloss that reduce efficiency. Figure 16-1.Heat can be lost through:

• Burner on-cycle

• Burner off-cycle

• Jacket or Casing

• Pipes or Ducts, and

• Air infiltration

16-4 Energy Conservation

Figure 16-1:Flue heat loss(on and offcycles)


Fuel Energy

Jacket Heat Loss

Useful HeatDeliveredto Home

Piping or DuctHeat Loss

Flue Heat Loss(on and Off Cycles

Air InfiltrationInducedby the

Heating Systemand Chimney

• Integration of domestic water heatingsystem

• Mass of the boiler or furnace

Service procedures have a significanteffect on boiler or furnace efficiency. Eventhe most efficient heating unit will wastefuel if it is not serviced periodically and ifit is not adjusted properly. When the fullefficiency of the boiler or furnace is notreached, then oilheat’s efficiency advantageis reduced. Routine service using standard-ized procedures, including vacuum cleaningand precise burner adjustment, are a vitalpart of good service. Always recordefficiency test results.

Burner on-cycle heat lossOne of the biggest heat losses from

central heating systems through the flue isthe venting of exhaust gases while theburner is operating. See Figure 16-2.Combustion air and fuel enter the burner atroom temperature (usually about 65°F) andheated combustion products leave the boileror furnace, normally between 400 and700°F. Heat loss can be reduced by betterburner adjustment, clean heat exchangersurfaces, or equipment replacement.

Flue heat loss consists of two compo-nents; water vapor loss (a fixed property ofthe fuel) and sensible heat loss (varies withburner adjustment, equipment design andservicing).

The “water vapor” of flue loss is a result

of the water vapor contained in the com-bustion of exhaust gases. Water is producedwhen oil is burned. This water is trans-formed to steam and leaves the heatingunit. Eight-thousand Btus are lost with eachgallon of water that is vented as steam—orabout 6.5% of the total energy in fuel oil.This loss is also called “latent heat loss” (itis the energy required to convert waterfrom liquid to vapor).

It is possible to reclaim the heat containedin the water by lowering the exhaust tem-perature until the water condenses out of the


Figure 16-2:Burner on-cycleheat loss

Combustion test equipmentmust always be used to adjustthe burner for peak efficiency

Sensible Heat LossDepends on Volume of

Exhaust Gases

Burner AdjustmentAffects Sensible

Heat Loss

BoilerOr

Furnace


Water Vapor LossFixed Property

of Fuel

flue gases. Condensing equipment, whichdeliberately condenses the water in thecombustion gases, is available in someheating appliance lines. These units aredesigned to handle the water and the acidsthat are created in this process.

To prevent condensation in conventionalheating units, exhaust gas temperatures needto be 350°F or more. The 350° exhaust gasesalso produce the chimney draft that isrequired by conventional systems for normalflue gas venting.

“Sensible heat loss” depends on thetemperature of exhaust gases and their totalvolume. Increased excess air increases thevolume of combustion gases, which alsoincreases the velocity of these gases throughthe heat exchanger. The faster the gasesmove through the heat exchanger, the lessheat can be extracted. This raises stacktemperatures and lowers efficiency. Lower-ing excess combustion air and/or flue gastemperature can reduce sensible flue heatloss.

New oil-powered appliances operate veryefficiently, with flue heat losses rangingfrom 11 to 15%. This is close to the highestvalue possible for non-condensing systems.Remember that a net stack temperature ofabout 350°F or more is required to avoidwater condensation and to maintain adequatechimney draft. Sidewall vented units canoperate with somewhat lower temperatures.

Off-cycle heat lossBurners in home heating systems do not

operate continuously, but cycle on and off. Atypical burner will run between 15 to 20% ofthe time and remain idle for the remaining80 to 85% of the time.


FLUE HEAT LOSS DURING BURNER OPERATION

(Percent of Total Heat Content of Fuel Oil)

Average Typical Range Comb. Eff.

Old Oil Heating Units 28 20 - 35 72%

New Oil Heating Units 13 11 - 19 86%

Minimum for Non-Condensing 10 — 89%


Figure 16-3:Off-cycleheat loss

Chimney Draft PullsHeated Air at 145 - 220°F

Hot Surfacesin Boiler or Furnace

Cold Air inat 50 - 70°F

Burner off-cycle heat loss is caused byair flowing through the heating unit whenthe burner is idle. The draft of the chimneycreates negative pressure in the heatexchanger. It pulls cold air into the boileror furnace at the burner air inlet andthrough other leaks in the unit. This airtravels across the hot combustion chamberand flue passages where it is heated andcarries the heat out of the house throughthe chimney.

The size of this loss varies with burnerdesign, chimney draft, the operatingtemperature of the unit and installation. Itis an important cause of inefficiency,especially for older and oversized units.Figure 16-3 shows off-cycle loss.

Off-cycle is also affected by the tem-perature of the boiler or furnace during theburner off-period. The higher the operatingtemperature, the greater the burner on-period.

Restriction of off-cycle airflow by theburner can reduce heat loss. Generally,older burners were designed with opencombustion heads that provide very littlerestriction to off-cycle airflow. In contrast,high-speed flame retention head burnersreduce off-cycle airflow and thereby reduceheat loss. This is a primary reason whyoilheating systems have much lower off-cycle losses than typical natural gas heatingunits.

Natural gas heaters often use open“atmospheric” burners that do not restrictoff-cycle airflow through the heating unit.Additionally, traditional gas units havelarge draft hoods that continuously removeheated air from the home. Oilburners pushair into the heat exchanger while atmo-

spheric gas burners depend upon draft topull air in. This is why oilheat exchangerscan be more restrictive than gas, makingthem more efficient.

Low mass combustion chambers (includ-ing ceramic fibers) will store less heat thanhigh-density firebrick materials, so theywill have lower losses. Similarly, small lowmass boilers or furnaces store less heat thantheir older heavier counterparts and willhave lower off-cycle losses.

Oversized heating units have longer offperiods and off-cycle loss will be higher. Aheating unit that is closely matched in sizeto the building’s heating requirements willprovide the lowest off-cycle heat loss andhighest efficiency.

Proper heating system adjustment andmaintenance also affects burner off-cycleheat loss. Three examples are: air leaks intothe heating unit, temperature controlsettings of the boiler or furnace, and fuelfiring rate.

Air leaksAir leaks into the heat exchanger should

be avoided whenever possible because theyprovide a path for off-cycle airflow. Initialstart-up and annual servicing proceduresshould include sealing all such leaks beforethe final burner adjustment.

Some common locations for air intru-sion include the space between the burnerair tube and the combustion chamberopening, the connection between thecombustion chamber area and heat ex-changer, the space between sections of castiron boilers, heat flanges, and loose-fittingclean out and flame inspection doors.Eliminating these unnecessary air leaks willreduce off-cycle airflow and heat loss.



Temperature settingsThe water and air temperature controls

also affect heat loss. The blower on afurnace operates until the low temperaturelimit is reached, but heat remains in thefurnace and can be lost during the offperiod. The low limit set point often isadjustable and lower settings can sometimesprevent unnecessary heat loss. Aquastatsettings for boilers have the same effect.Maintaining excessive boiler temperaturesincreases off-cycle losses.

Excessive firing ratesFuel nozzles that are too large for the

heating requirement of the house increase

off-cycle loss. Recall that heat loss varieswith the off-period time and that largefiring rates produce long burner-off times.The solution to this problem is to reducethe nozzle size, provided that the burnerwill perform well with the smaller firingrate. With fixed head burners, it may benecessary to change the combustion head ifyou are drastically reducing nozzle size.Selecting the correct nozzle size is animportant part of proper service proce-dures.

Reducing firing rates on older unitsworks because most of them are oversized.The three exceptions to this are: steamboilers, boilers with tankless coils, and anyappliance where the steady state stacktemperature is less than 400°F. In thesethree cases, the units should be fired totheir maximum rating. New units that areproperly sized for the load should be firedto the manufacturers’ recommendations.

Older units have high stand-by lossesOlder appliances have larger losses than

modern units. Replacement of theseoutdated units is often the best option forhomeowners. Several design features of oldunits promote heat loss, including:

• Open burner head designs (non-flame-retention) that allow air to flow duringoff-cycle

• Larger more massive heating units thatstore (and lose) more heat during theoff-period.

• Dense combustion chamber materialsthat can increase stored heat and off-cycleloss

• Heat exchange passages that are lessrestrictive than modern units, allowinglarger off-cycle airflows.

• Steam boilers that operate at higher


Figure 16-4: Heatloss through theboiler or furnacejacket

Heat Loss Heat Loss

Heat Loss

Heat Loss

Heat Loss


Dry BaseBoiler Illustrated

temperatures than hot water systems. Theoff-cycle heat losses for old units, espe-cially steam boilers may be more than20%.

Jacket heat lossUseful heat is lost through the walls of

the boiler or furnace. This is referred to as“jacket” or “casing” loss and it reduces theamount of heat delivered to heated areas ofthe home, Figure 16-4. The size of this lossdepends on the heating unit design and thelocation of the boiler or furnace within thehouse.

Jacket heat loss is largest when theburner is operating and heat from the flamepasses through the combustion chamber andout of the unit through its outer jacket.Heat losses through boiler jackets weremeasured at Brookhaven National Labora-tory and ranged from about 1% to 12% ofthe fuel’s heating value. Generally, wet-base boilers had the lowest losses and dry-base units had the highest. Old boilers,especially coal-conversion units with largefirebrick combustion chambers, had thelargest jacket heat loss.


Pipe and duct heat lossThe heat from a boiler or furnace is

transported to the home through hot water(or steam) pipes or warm air ducts. Heatloss that occurs between the heating unitand the living space causes system ineffi-ciency (see Figure 16-5). The level ofefficiency depends upon how and where thepipes or ducts are installed, the size of thedistribution system, the amount of thermalinsulation and the location of the pipes andducts within the building.

Hot water piping that is not insulatedadequately can increase fuel use. The waterin pipes leading to the radiators is generallybetween 180° and 200° Fahrenheit. Thesepipes often are located in cool basementsand in other unheated spaces. If these pipesare not insulated, heat will be lost from theboiler water before it reaches the radiatorsin the house. More fuel must be consumedto compensate for these heat losses.

Similarly, heat loss from warm airducting reduces the useful heat output of afurnace. Furnace ducts typically waste moreheat than piping losses. There are tworeasons for this. First, warm air ducts have a

Figure 16-5:Heat loss fromwarm air ducts andhot water pipes


To House From House

WarmAir

DuctsHeatLoss

HeatLoss

WarmAir

Furnace

HeatLoss

HotWaterBoiler

HotWaterPipes

HeatLoss

Radiator


large surface area throughwhich heat can be lost. Second,warm air can escape directlyfrom leaky joints in the ducting.According to studies by the USDepartment of Energy, ductinglosses can be as high as 40%.

The level of heat loss isdifferent for each system and itdepends upon the placement ofducts within the house. Warmair ducts in cold areas such asunheated basements, attics, orcrawl spaces must always beinsulated and all joints must besealed.

Outdoor airinfiltration

The air that goes up thechimney must be replaced bycold outdoor air drawn into thebuilding. This cold air must beheated to indoor temperature,Figure 16-6. The amount ofheat needed to heat this cold

Figure 16-6:Outdoor airinfiltration inducedby heating system


Typical Heat Losses For Oil-Fired Hydronic BoilersActual Losses Vary From System To System

Useful HeatTo House (76% to as low as 40%)

Useful HeatTo House (86% )

Figure 16-7:Typical heatlosses for oilfired heatingunits

Heated Air and Exhaust Gases

IndoorAir

70°F

Cold Outdoor Air Enters Houseto Replace Exhausted Air

House Exhausted Air byHeating Unit and Chimney

OutdoorAir

0 - 60°F

To DraftDamper

ToBurner

Boiler

DraftRegulator

Fuel Tank

Chimney

On-cycleFlue Loss

(16-22%)

Off-cycleFlue Loss

(6-20%)

DistributionLoss (0-40%)

Air InfiltrationLoss (0-16%)

Jacket Loss(2-6%)

On-cycleFlue Loss

(12%)

Off-cycleFlue Loss

(2-3%)

DistributionLoss (0%)

Air InfiltrationLoss (0%)

Jacket Loss(0-1%)

Fuel Energy 100%Typical Installation/Efficiency

Fuel Energy 100%High Efficiency/Properly Installed

Savings For Every $100 Fuel Costs by Increase of Combustion EfficiencyAssuming Constant Radiation and Other Unaccounted-for Losses

From an Original To an Increased Combustion Efficiency of:Efficiency of: 55% 60% 65% 70% 75% 80% 85% 90% 95%

50% $9.10 $16.70 $23.10 $28.60 $33.30 $37.50 $41.20 $44.40 $47.4055% — 8.30 15.40 21.50 26.70 31.20 35.30 38.90 42.10

60% — — 7.70 14.30 20.00 25.00 29.40 33.30 37.8065% — — — 7.10 13.30 18.80 23.50 27.80 31.6070% — — — — 6.70 12.50 17.60 22.20 26.30

75% — — — — — 6.30 11.80 16.70 21.1080% — — — — — — 5.90 11.10 15.8085% — — — — — — — 5.60 10.50

90% — — — — — — — — 5.30


air depends upon on-cycle airflow throughthe heating unit (boiler-burner or furnace-burner design). If the unit is outside or is ina non-heated portion of the home that hasplenty of excess air, air infiltration is notimportant. Air infiltration loss is greatestfor heating appliances that operate withlarge quantities of excess combustion air,units with air leaks into the heat exchanger,or units that have large off-cycle airflows.Efficient boiler-burner or furnace-burnercombinations will operate with low airinfiltration losses.

Air infiltration heat loss for oilheatingsystems is usually about 2% of the totalfuel energy, but some studies indicate thatit can be as high as 12%. This figure isconsiderably higher for propane and naturalgas-fired heating units, and it is one of theefficiency advantages of oil-fired equip-ment. The best solution for air infiltrationis isolated combustion, whereby outdoor airis piped directly to the burner air intake.

In summaryNew, highly efficient oilheating units

transfer more than 85% of the fuel energydirectly to the home. Old units may operatein the 60 to 76% range. See Figure 16-7.

Equipment modificationsto improve efficiency

New oil boilers and furnaces are oftenmore efficient than their gas counterparts.While older oil boilers and furnaces are lessefficient than the newer units, they can be“modernized,” and their operating efficien-cies can be improved. Heating systemmodifications to improve efficiency rangefrom low-cost adjustments such as adjustingfor proper combustion and sealing excess airleaks to equipment replacements such asinstalling new flame retention oilburners ornew boilers or furnaces. The table belowsummarizes the efficiency gains from thoseimprovements.

This next section will identify a numberof equipment modifications that saveenergy. These are:

• Flame retention burners

• Replacement boilers or furnaces


• Pipe or duct insulation

• Heating systems tune-up

• Thermostat set back

• Combining equipment modifications

Flame retention burnersThe main difference between old non-

flame retention and flame retention burnersis the way the combustion air and fuel arecombined. The flame retention burner has aspecially designed burner head (end cone)and a high-pressure fan that produces morerecirculation within the flame for better fuel-air mixing. The swirling air pattern increasesthe contact between the fuel droplets and theair. In addition, a recirculation zone isformed within the flame.

This recirculation pattern draws some ofthe hot combustion gases back toward theburner head. This helps to vaporize the oildroplets by direct contact with hot gases.Recirculation also provides a longer pathlength through the flame. This adds to the

time available for the fuel and air to react,promoting complete combustion. Thisswirling and recirculation pattern alsoreduces smoke formation, requires lessexcess combustion air, and provides higherefficiency.

The flame is more stable in flameretention burners. It forms a tight shape thatis held near the burner head. That’s wherethe name “flame retention” comes from.Flame retention burners can operate effi-ciently in heating units where marginalchimney draft or where oversized combus-tion chambers could cause problems witholder burner designs.

With flame retention, the flame isstabilized by the high velocity airflow and itdoes not need radiant heat reflected backfrom the combustion chamber for stableoperation. This eliminates some of the flameproblems experienced by older burnerdesigns. A drawing of non-flame retentionand flame retention combustion is shown inFigure 16-8.


Figure 16-8:Non-flame retentionand flame retentioncombustion.


Non-Flame Retention Combustion Flame Retention Combustion

Nozzle

Combustion Air

Flame RetentionCombustion HeadRear ViewStainless Steel

Radial Vanes

CircumferentialSlots

Combustion Chamber(Optional)Non-Flame Retention

Combustion Head Rear View Cast Iron

Air Vanes

Combustion Air

Nozzle

Combustion Chamber

TargetWall

Excess air reduces efficiency andflame retention burners operate withless excess air than older burnerdesigns. Flame retention burnersrequire 20 to 30% excess air whileolder burners need 50 to 100% moreto achieve low smoke numbers. Thedifference in the flue heat loss forthese burners is often about 10%.

The second advantage of flameretention burners is reduced off-cycleheat loss. The flow of off-cycle airthrough the heating unit is reduced bythe narrow openings of the air bandand the flame retention head. There-fore, off-cycle heat loss is less. Thisimproves the heating system efficiency.See Figure 16-9.

Installation requirementsBe sure to check the condition of the

combustion chamber before installing anew burner. Many older chambers are notsuitable for the flame produced by aflame retention burner. Modification ofthe combustion chamber may be required.See Chapter 5 for more details aboutchamber upgrades.

Be extra careful when installing newburners into dry-base boilers andolder furnaces because it may bepossible to burn through the base.

Important considerations in aninstallation procedure include:

• Select the most efficient fuel nozzlesize for the job. Many boilers and furnacesare overfired and operate at loweredefficiency. Remember that flame retentionburners operate with higher efficiency anda smaller nozzle is usually advisable.

• Inspect the combustion chamber andrepair or replace it. Add a high temperature

ceramic liner insert if needed.

• Install the new burner. Carefully followthe recommendations of the burner manufac-turers.

• Seal all air leaks around the heatexchanger, and the burner air tube. Air leakscan increase both on-cycle and off-cycle heatloss.

• Adjust the burner using combustion testequipment to an efficiency of 80% or higher.Some burners have adjustable head positions.Use the setting recommended by the manu-facturer for the installed fuel nozzle size. If afixed retention head is used, be sure that thehead is the correct size. Use the head sizethat matches the fuel nozzle rating.

• Test all safety controls for properoperation.

• Perform final checks of burneroperation.

Installation of flame retention headburners as replacements for older units canbe an effective and economic means for


Figure 16-9:Flame retentionburners operate withless heat loss.

LowerOn-Cycle

Loss

LowerOff-Cycle

Loss

Less ExcessCombustion

Air

Less ExcessOff-CycleAir Flow

Air


conserving heating oil if the old boiler orfurnace is suitable.

Expected energy savingsMost homeowners with older oilburners

can reduce their fuel cost substan-tially, with savings from 15% to ashigh as 25%. The combination oflow burner cost and high fuelsavings make retention headburners one of the best conservationinvestments available tohomeowners. Your service depart-ment can also benefit. New burnersusually require fewer service calls.

Replacement of boilersor furnaces

Many older heating units are inefficientand oversized and replacement with a newoil-fired boiler or a furnace is better thanany add-on modification. New highefficiency oil boilers and furnaces haveAnnual Fuel Utilization Efficiencies(AFUE’s) from 82% to 95%. Replacingold and outdated heating units will cut fuelconsumption and increase customersatisfaction.

No simple method can evaluate theefficiencies of older units. However, somedesign features of older systems tend toincrease heat loss and lower efficiency.

Some of these are:Designs that allow substantial jacket

heat loss by:

• Dry-base combustion chamber

• Poor or missing jacket insulation

• Side arm hot water coils

• Massive combustion chambersconstructed of heavy firebrick

• Many older burner designs use “open”end cones that cannot restrict off-cycleairflow. Secondary air openings and leaksincrease off-cycle heat loss.

• High stack temperatures increase on-cycle heat loss. This is caused by wide openflue passages without baffling designed forburning coal. If the stack temperature isexcessive for a clean unit with the correctfiring rate and burner adjustment, then thedesign of the boiler or furnace is theproblem.

Combustion efficiency testing can helpto identify low efficiency boilers andfurnaces that need to be replaced.

Expected energy savingsReplacement of obsolete boilers and

furnaces with modern, highly efficientmodels can reduce fuel cost more than anyother single option available to home-owners, even insulation and storm windows.Field studies show that replacing a boiler orfurnace will often save between 18 to 32%,with typical payback periods of 3 to 6 years.

Pipe and duct insulationHot water pipes and warm air ducts often

waste large amounts of energy when notinsulated. These losses reduce systemefficiency and increase fuel consumption.Pipe and duct loss is avoidable with the useof thermal insulation. All heating systemdistribution lines that run through unheatedspaces should be protected against heat loss.

Boiler pipesThe heat loss from this piping system

depends upon several factors:

• Temperatures of the hot water or steamwithin the pipes


Note: AFUE, Annual FuelUtilization Efficiency, is a USDepartment of Energy stan-

dard for measuring theefficiency of heating appli-

ances. AFUE ratings are usedto compare the efficiency of

different makes and models offurnaces and boilers.


• Length of piping system

• Degree of thermal insulation

• Temperature of the air (or othermaterial) surrounding the pipes

Warm air ductsDucts that distribute heated air to the

house lose heat in two ways.

• Heat flows from the heated duct wallsto the colder surroundings

• Heated air escapes from leaky ductjoints

Both of these losses reduce the usefulheat delivered to the house and increasefuel consumption. Many warm air ductspass through unheated areas, such as atticsor crawl spaces. Because of the coolersurroundings, heat loss into these areas islarge. Inspect all warm air ducts for leaksand proper insulation. Use seamlessinsulated ducts on new installations.

Expected energy savingsBoiler Piping:Insulating piping may save 5-10 percent.

Warm Air Ducts:Insulation and sealing leaks may save upto 40 percent.

Heating systems tune-upPeriodic cleaning and adjustment of all

heating systems assures the highest level ofefficiency, safety, and fewest service calls.Service routines save fuel and preventsequipment breakdowns that are a nuisanceto both homeowners and service depart-ments. See Chapter 14 for more details onproper tune-up procedures.

You may wish to develop a checklist tobe filled out during each tune-up. Good


service procedures involve anumber of steps that include(but are not limited to):

• Visually inspecting theentire heating system

• Performing a combustion efficiencytest; be sure to check the draft dropthrough the heat exchanger bycomparing the draft over fire and atthe breach.

• Vacuum cleaning of all heatingsurfaces including the boiler orfurnace flue passages (when re-quired).

• Checking to be sure the flue pipe andchimney flue are clear and in goodcondition

• Cleaning all burner parts including theair fan and housing, ignition elec-trodes, and burner head.

• Replacing fuel and air filters.

• Sealing air leaks around the burner andheat exchanger.

• Using combustion test equipment tomeasure efficiency.

• Adjusting the burner for high effi-ciency and low smoke number.

• Modifying system and readjustinguntil peak efficiency is obtained.

• Recording final combustion efficiencyfor tuned system.

• Checking all combustion safetycontrols.

Heating system tune-ups reduce on-cycleflue heat loss and assure good long-termefficiency. Reduced excess combustion airlowers flue heat loss and low smokesettings avoid soot accumulations and

Service routines save fueland prevents equipmentbreakdowns that are a

nuisance to both homeownersand service departments.



off long enough for water or heat pipes inoutside walls to freeze up. Additionally, ifthe setback is too great, it will take a longtime to get the home back up to a comfort-able temperature. This may require moreenergy than you saved by setting the tem-perature back. A maximum of five degreesetback is recommended.

Combining equipmentmodifications

It is difficult to estimate fuel savingswhen more than one modification isapplied to the same heating system. Theexpected savings cannot be determined bysimply adding together the savings for eachindividual modification as more than oneof them may address the same losses. Themost economical first cost retrofit is theone that saves the most fuel for the lowestcost.

Steps for advisingyour customer

• Measure combustion efficiency

• Inspect the heating system

• Evaluate primary equipment upgrades

• Recommend secondary energy savingoptions

• Present recommendations to customer

Today’s heating equipment is greatlyimproved over the old equipment. Replac-ing an old inefficient oversized boiler orfurnace is one of the best investments ourcustomers can make.

Where else can they get over a 20% taxfree return on investment; abundant hotwater; a more comfortable, cleaner, quieterhome; help improve the environment;

If there is a significantbout of severe coldweather, customersusing setbacks maynot be able to get the

house back to acomfortable

temperature. Havingcustomers not use thesetback or switch tomanual in extremecold is a good idea.

gradual efficiency loss.The combustion testsgive a sound basis forrecommending variousefficiency modifica-tions. New equipmentsales should be recom-mended once theefficiency is deter-mined to be belowstandard.

Expected energy savingsTypical savings from a

tune-up are about 3% forsystems that are regularlyadjusted. If a heating system

has been infrequently tuned or isout of adjustment due to equipment malfunc-tion, then the fuel savings will be higher. Forexample, the efficiency of a boiler or furnacewith a partially plugged fuel nozzle andsooted heating surfaces can be improved by10% or more after a tune-up.

Thermostat set-backThe thermostat is the single best device

homeowners can use for energy conserva-tion. The greater the difference betweenindoor and outdoor temperatures, the moreenergy it takes to maintain it. For everydegree you lower the thermostat setting, upto 3% can be saved on the heating bill.

It is possible to save some energy bylowering the thermostat setting if thebuilding is empty for long periods during theday and again at night when all the occupantsare sleeping. Set back thermostats areavailable that do this automatically.

If the set back is too great in sub-freezingconditions, the heating system may be shut



lower their cost of living; and increase thevalue of their home? This is such a greatdeal, the new equipment should be sellingitself. Unfortunately, oilburners cannottalk. They need our help.

Advantages of newequipment

• High Efficiency—saves energy whichsaves customers money.

• Clean Operations—easier to serviceand better image as clean modern fuel.

• Low Air Pollution Emissions—properly adjusted new oil equipmenthas the lowest emissions.

• Improved Reliability— requires lessemergency service.

• Greatly increases customersatisfaction.

Additionally, if customers invest in newoil-fired equipment, they will not betempted to switch to gas heat. The newequipment will save them so much moneyand be so reliable, they will brag about it totheir friends. You will keep your oldcustomers and they will help you get newones.

How to sell newequipment

It is vitally important that we install newoil-fired heating equipment in all of ourcustomer’s homes. New equipment makescustomers satisified and insures a brightfuture for the Oilheat Industry. If yourcompany has equipment sales people oryour service manager does the selling, yourjob is to identify equipment that should beupgraded and recommend the customer

speak to your sales people about investingin conservation.

As the one who services their heatingequipment, you have established credibilitywith your customer. By suggesting anupgrade may be in order, you are extendingthis trust to the sales person and have giventhem a great running start.

If you recommend that a customerconsider new equipment, you must be surethat you tell the sales person about it. Whenyou recommend new equipment you havegiven your customer a problem. He thoughthis system was OK, now you are tellinghim that it is not. Your sales person hadbetter get to the house right away to solvethe problem before the customer solves ithimself with some other heating contractoror a switch in fuel.

If your company does not have salespeople and it is your job to sell the equip-ment, you need to learn all you can aboutthe art of selling. There are many goodbooks, tapes and seminars on selling.Selling is a skill you can learn and, like anyskill, it improves with study and practice.

NORA has published a book on thistopic titled Efficient Oilheat, An EnergyConservation Guide. It is the basis for theNORA Gold Technician CertificationProgram. The book, as well as all ofNORA’s books and tapes, is available atnorastore.org.

It is vitally important that we installnew oil-fired heating equipment in all

of our customers’ homes. Newequipment makes customers

satisified and insures a bright futurefor the Oilheat Industry.


Documents

READY Energy Conservation Chapter - · PDF filevolume. Increased excess air increases the volume of combustion gases, which also ... design, chimney draft, the operating temperature