When to Upgrade...

• Cut fuel costs with a high efficiency boiler or heat and hot water system
• Cut greenhouse gas emissions
• Replace an older boiler or furnace which is no longer reliable or has failed
• Improve home comfort
• Expanded use requires more heat or hot water output; a home addition is an example (although boilers are frequently oversized)
• Improve comfort and efficiency with pools or spas
• Improve home resale value

Here’s what to check for to see if your boiler has high idle losses:

1. Is your boiler or furnace room hot, or is your boiler hot when it’s not making heat or hot water (especially during the spring, summer and fall)?  If so, your system most likely has high idle losses and there’s a good opportunity to save significantly on fuel bills.

2. Is your boiler properly sized to the heat loss in your home?  A boiler that has too much capacity typically runs in short cycles and is less efficient than a properly sized boiler.  If your oil burner, natural gas burner or propane burner cycles on and off frequently during the coldest days of winter, it has too much capacity; longer off cycles indicate more excess capacity.  The efficiency of boilers with high idle loss drops rapidly with too much capacity.  Boilers with very low idle loss operate much closer to the rated efficiency. Review potential savings and a heat loss estimate based on your fuel use here.
[ Calculate Savings ]

3. Does your boiler only have an operating (low efficiency) control?  This is usually a gray temperature control box about the size of a book which is mounted on the boiler.  Some have digital readouts, although most only have internal dials for set points. If you don't have an additional control this is most likely what your boiler has.

A control that adjusts to outdoor temperature can moderately improve efficiency if properly adjusted.

A separate energy saving control, called a hybrid energy recovery control or boiler thermal purge control keeps the boiler cool when it’s not running and virtually eliminates idle loss providing the best high efficiency heating system. 

4. Is your hot water made in a coil in your boiler, in a water tank with a metal flue, or in an electric water heater?  Hot water stored in a separate water tank with no flue and heated by a boiler with low idle loss will significantly cut hot water fuel consumption.  Although electric hot water is efficient in your home, power plants typically convert and deliver less than 30% of the energy burned to make electricity. This makes electric hot water very expensive and inefficient.

5. Does your boiler, furnace, or water heater have a pilot light?  Pilot lights continuously drain energy which also increases idle loss.  A pilot light is like a beacon that indicates older equipment; very significant savings can be achieved by upgrading these systems to a high efficiency boiler or integrated home heating system.

6. Is your heating duct system well sealed and insulated?  Poorly sealed and un-insulated duct work, especially in unheated spaces, can lead to tremendous heat losses.

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you have a good opportunity to cut your heating bills.

How much of your home's energy is used for heat and hot water?