A. LOW-COST FUEL SAVING TECHNIQUES FOR STEAM RADIATOR HEATING SYSTEMS:
Bell & Gossett, manufacturer of heat pumps and heating equipment provides these simple maintenance tips that can pay for itself in less than 2 years:
- Replace Air vents and balance pressure in steam distribution pipes.
- Insulate the Steam and hot water pipes with fiberglass pipe insulation.
- Install a new computerized temperature monitoring panel in the boiler room with temperature sensors inside & outside the building.
- Provide periodic water treatment and remove dirt from the boiler’s water. Provide periodic oil tank cleaning and tune-up your burner properly.
- For a comprehensive survey of your heating system and specific heating system check-up for your building, schedule an engineering inspection – Click here…
B. BOILER UPGRADING TECHNIQUES THAT SAVE AND LOWER YOUR FUEL COSTS:
National Utility Company, Keyspan Energy, recommends the following alternatives to upgrading your boiler and lowering your fuel costs:
- Replacing an oil burner with Duel-fuel Gas/Oil burner will lower your Gas rates by agreeing to a program to alternate between Oil and Gas during peak periods with outdoor temperatures above or below 15-20 degrees F. Note that, in several areas of Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island in the past, Keyspan offered to pay for the cost of the duel-fuel burner equipment [excluding installation cost].
- If your current boiler provides both heating and hot water supply, installing separate hot water heaters will save you money by shutting down your main boiler during the summer season and leaving the fuel-saving hot water heaters to operate alone. During the winter heating season, you may switch back, by shutting down the hot water heaters and having the boiler supply both heat and hot water services.
- Installing a micro-chip, temperature sensing device on your burner, that monitors and adjusts burner operation, may provide 10-25% in fuel saving.
- Installing Turbulators, or heat retention fins inside fire tubes on certain types of steel tube boilers may provide additional fuel efficiency of 8-10%.
- For a comprehensive survey of your heating system and specific upgrade recommendations for your building, schedule an engineering inspection – Click here…
C. GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS AND TAX INCENTIVES YOU CAN USE TO LOWER YOUR BILLS:
- By switching from your major utility company to a competitive Energy Service Company, known as ESCO, you may get more competitive rates and save on sales taxes which are normally charged on your fuel bills by the major utility companies [e.g. Con Ed or Keyspan].
- Managements and owners of Multi-family and commercial buildings can save energy and be paid back a fee for participating in New York State’s Demand Response Program. Program participants are paid to lower-down, curtail or partially shut-down energy consumption in the building during peak demand periods of the summer.
- NYSERDA’s low-interest energy loan program – provides loans to upgrade your energy efficiency with subsidized interest at 4% or more below the current prime rate charged by most banks.
- Other cost saving methods for larger buildings include sub-metering, buying fuel in the wholesale markets, and fixed-price energy programs.
- We can help you analyze your fuel costs, apply for energy loans and obtain government incentives. For a comprehensive survey of your heating system and specific fuel saving recommendations for your building, schedule an engineering inspection – Click here…
Related Energy Links:
U.S. Dept. of Energy – Energy Saving & Renewable Energy Website
Keyspan – Energy Saving Tips around the House.
New York State’s Demand Response Program
$500 Tax Credit for Replacement of Residential Boilers, Click here…
