Thermostat – Save money on your Heating Bill

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You can save money on your heating and cooling bills by simply resetting your thermostat when you are asleep or away from home. You can do this automatically without sacrificing comfort by installing an automatic setback or programmable thermostat.

Using a programmable thermostat, you can adjust the times you turn on the heating or air-conditioning according to a pre-set schedule. Programmable thermostats can store and repeat multiple daily settings (six or more temperature settings a day) that you can manually override without affecting the rest of the daily or weekly program.

General Thermostat Operation

You can easily save energy in the winter by setting the thermostat to 68°F while you’re awake and setting it lower while you’re asleep or away from home. By turning your thermostat back 10° to 15° for 8 hours, you can save 5% to 15% a year on your heating bill — a savings of as much as 1% for each degree if the setback period is eight hours long. The percentage of savings from setback is greater for buildings in milder climates than for those in more severe climates.

In the summer, you can follow the same strategy with central air conditioning by keeping your house warmer than normal when you are away, and lowering the thermostat setting to 78°F (26°C) only when you are at home and need cooling. Although thermostats can be adjusted manually, programmable thermostats will avoid any discomfort by returning temperatures to normal before you wake or return home.

A common misconception associated with thermostats is that a furnace works harder than normal to warm the space back to a comfortable temperature after the thermostat has been set back, resulting in little or no savings. In fact, as soon as your house drops below its normal temperature, it will lose energy to the surrounding environment more slowly. The lower the interior temperature, the slower the heat loss. So the longer your house remains at the lower temperature, the more energy you save, because your house has lost less energy than it would have at the higher temperature. The same concept applies to raising your thermostat setting in the summer — a higher interior temperature will slow the flow of heat into your house, saving energy on air conditioning. Check out our home heating infographic to learn more about how heating systems and thermostats interact.

Limitations for Homes With Heat Pumps, Electric Resistance Heating, Steam Heat, and Radiant Floor Heating

Programmable thermostats are generally not recommended for heat pumps. In its cooling mode, a heat pump operates like an air conditioner, so turning up the thermostat (either manually or with a programmable thermostat) will save energy and money. But when a heat pump is in its heating mode, setting back its thermostat can cause the unit to operate inefficiently, thereby canceling out any savings achieved by lowering the temperature setting. Maintaining a moderate setting is the most cost-effective practice. Recently, however, some companies have begun selling specially designed programmable thermostats for heat pumps, which make setting back the thermostat cost-effective. These thermostats typically use special algorithms to minimize the use of backup electric resistance heat systems.

Electric resistance systems, such as electric baseboard heating, require thermostats capable of directly controlling 120-volt or 240-volt circuits. Only a few companies manufacture line-voltage programmable thermostats.

The slow response time — up to several hours — of steam heating and radiant floor heating systems leads some people to suggest that setback is inappropriate for these systems. However, some manufacturers now offer thermostats that track the performance of your heating system to determine when to turn it on in order to achieve comfortable temperatures at your programmed time.

Alternately, a normal programmable thermostat can be set to begin its cool down well before you leave or go to bed and return to its regular temperature two or three hours before you wake up or return home. This may require some guesswork at first, but with a little trial and error you can still save energy while maintaining a comfortable home.

Choosing and Programming a Programmable Thermostat

Most programmable thermostats are either digital, electromechanical, or some mixture of the two. Digital thermostats offer the most features in terms of multiple setback settings, overrides, and adjustments for daylight savings time, but may be difficult for some people to program. Electromechanical systems often involve pegs or sliding bars and are relatively simple to program.

When programming your thermostat, consider when you normally go to sleep and wake up. If you prefer to sleep at a cooler temperature during the winter, you might want to start the temperature setback a bit ahead of the time you actually go to bed. Also consider the schedules of everyone in the household. If there is a time during the day when the house is unoccupied for four hours or more, it makes sense to adjust the temperature during those periods.

Other Considerations

The location of your thermostat can affect its performance and efficiency. Read the manufacturer’s installation instructions to prevent “ghost readings” or unnecessary furnace or air conditioner cycling. To operate properly, a thermostat must be on an interior wall away from direct sunlight, drafts, doorways, skylights, and windows. It should be located where natural room air currents–warm air rising, cool air sinking–occur. Furniture will block natural air movement, so do not place pieces in front of or below your thermostat. Also make sure your thermostat is conveniently located for programming.

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Source: December 15, 2014  Article from U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENErgy’S WEBSITE  http://www.energy.gov/energysaver/articles/thermostats

Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips for Chimney and Furnace Season

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Winter is here. And while you’ve probably fired up the furnace plenty, and stocked up on firewood, have you studied up on carbon monoxide safety?

A common output of malfunctioning or improperly used appliances, carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that’s nicknamed the “silent killer” because you can’t see it, smell it or taste it. Furnaces, stoves, ovens, water heaters and blocked chimney vents can all be potential sources of carbon monoxide, or CO.

So how do you protect yourself? Here are some important safety tips from the U.S. Fire Administration that can help keep you safe from carbon monoxide poisoning this winter.

Furnace and Chimney Safety Precautions

  • Have fuel-burning heating equipment and chimneys  inspected annually by a licensed professional. This includes your furnace, water heater, wood stove and any portable heaters.
  • Make sure the damper is opened and clear of debris before using a fireplace.
  • Never use your oven or stove to heat your home.
  • When purchasing new appliances, look for products that have been tested and are labeled by a recognized testing laboratory.
  • Make sure all fuel-burning equipment is vented to the outside and is kept clear and unblocked.
  • Damaged or discolored bricks at the top of your chimney, moisture around the windows and walls near a furnace, and excessive rust on vent pipes or the outside of appliances can all be signs of a potential CO problem. Call in a professional if you spot these signs.

CO Alarm Testing and Replacement

  • Run a test on your CO alarms at least once a month, and      replace them if they aren’t responding correctly. Sensors in carbon      monoxide alarms have a limited life.
  • A CO alarm isn’t a substitute for a smoke alarm, and      vice-versa. You should familiarize yourself with the different sounds each      alarm makes.
  • If the carbon monoxide detector is beeping, go outside and immediately call 911 or the fire      department.

Proper ventilation, a solid cleaning, and a working early-CO-detection alarm are your biggest allies when it comes to preventing a carbon monoxide buildup this winter.

Source: By Frank Rivera, ADT, January 31, 2013

6 Ways To Cut Home Energy Costs

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By Melissa King, Contributor

ClarkHoward.com

Utility bills can make up a significant portion of a family’s monthly budget. With a little planning, research, and work, you can cut your home’s energy consumption by a substantial amount. With Earth Day next week, here are 6 ways to get the job done.

Improve your HVAC’s Efficiency

HVAC systems account for half or more of your utility bills. There are several steps you can take to improve the efficiency of your home’s system. They include replacing filters regularly and keeping thermostats set at a constant level.

You’ll also want to make sure all windows and doors fit correctly, are properly installed, and sealed to reduce air leakage to the outside. The goal is to keep heated air inside in the winter, and air conditioned air inside your home during the summer. Which brings me to my next point…

Check Your Insulation

This helps by reducing loss of heated/cooled air and reduces strain on your system. There are several options for upgrading insulation in existing structures. You can either pay a professional to do blown-in insulation or do it yourself. But be sure to wear proper gloves and a mask if you do the latter.

Team Clark staff member Joel Larsgaard recently did it himself at his new house. He got free rental of an insulation blower with the purchase of 20 bags of insulation ($11 a bag) at a local big-box home improvement store. Then he grabbed a friend to help him.

Joel got a reimbursement from his local power company. So they covered half of his $274 total bill for the job! Visit DSIREUSA.org (Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency) to see similar incentives that may be available where you live.

Know Your Appliances and Their Use Patterns

Energy used by major appliances also makes up a large portion of the monthly energy bills. When you replace your older appliances, consider upgrading to high efficiency models. The initial extra expense will be offset over time by the reduced energy costs.

Timing the use of your appliances can also be a factor. Try to do laundry either in the early morning or at night. These hours are considered ‘off peak’ hours and power is actually less expensive at these times.

Some usage patterns are easier to control than others. For example, you should allow adequate space for the cool air to circulate around food in both your refrigerator and freezer. That’s easy to do.

Finally, consider using the microwave oven instead of conventional oven or stovetop when cooking or reheating your food.

Avoiding Chills and High Bills

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By — Valerie Finholm

The autumn chill feels a bit ominous this year. Halloween has passed, but energy prices have us spooked. We consulted some experts about inexpensive ways to winterize our homes (besides buying everyone in the family down booties and a warm comforter to wear inside the house.) Here are some suggestions (for more ideas, see “Hints From Heloise” below):

* Reduce drafts and save up to 30 percent on your heating bill by replacing cracked or broken windows and caulking gaps between windows and window frames and between doors and the floor. Use weather stripping on moveable window and door parts. Draft blockers (those things that look like snakes) also keep out drafts.

* Make sure your attic is well insulated. If you don’t have insulation in your attic, put down rugs or carpets to keep the heat in the house.

* Vacuum register grills and radiators and make sure they are not blocked with furniture or drapes.

* Install a programmable thermostat. If you don’t have one, turn down the thermostat when you go to work and to sleep at night to save energy. (Consult your plumber about how far you can safely turn down your thermostat without freezing your pipes.)

* Have a professional clean and tune your furnace for better energy efficiency. While the plumber is there, ask him or her to make sure your water heater is set at 120 degrees.

* Close the doors to unused rooms. The Department of Energy calculates that by closing the vents to one spare bedroom in a five-room house, you can cut your heating bills by as much as 20 percent.

* Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use. Let the dishes in your dishwasher air dry.

Signs & Symptoms of a Damaged Furnace Heat Exchanger

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The heat exchanger is an important part of a gas furnace by Joshua McCarron

The heat exchanger on a furnace is the section that keeps the combustion chamber and the breathing air separate. A heat exchanger is made of thin metal, and as it heats up from the combustion of the furnace, it transfers the heat to the air being distributed through the house by the blower. When a heat exchanger becomes damaged and the combustion fumes and gases mix with the clean air, serious consequences can result. Inspecting your heat exchanger regularly for damage is important to keep everything running safely and smoothly.

Visual Metal Cracks

The easiest way to tell if a heat exchanger is damaged is to inspect it and actually see cracks that have formed in the metal. Many companies use infrared light to detect cracks, but a flashlight is sufficient for more noticeable cracks. If you don’t notice damage from a visual inspection, it doesn’t mean there is no damage. Regular inspection by a professional is a wise idea.

Buildup and Discoloration

Often when cracks are present in a heat exchanger, soot from the combustion process will seep through and discolor the metal. The result will be a buildup of soot around the crack site and/or spots that are a darker color than the rest of the metal.

Carbon Monoxide Detection

Although you should certainly not wait until your carbon monoxide detector sounds to determine if your heat exchanger is broken, if you do get an alarm, it is a strong sign that damage is present. Carbon monoxide is a byproduct of the combustion process, and it can seep through the cracks of a damaged heat exchanger. Contact your local fire department right away if your carbon monoxide detector goes off.

Difference in Furnace Flame

Sometimes, if the heat exchanger is damaged and the fresh, breathing air mixes with the combustion air, the flame in your furnace can change. If you suspect damage, have someone turn the thermostat up to initiate the furnace, then sit and observe the flame. A damaged heat exchanger may produce a flame that jumps and dances after the blower fan has been on.

 

Credits: Joshua McCarron
Joshua McCarron has been writing both online and offline since 1995. He has been employed as a copywriter since 2005 and in that position has written numerous blogs, online articles, websites, sales letters and news releases. McCarron graduated from York University in Toronto with a bachelor’s degree in English.

When Should You Think About Your HVAC?

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When Should You Think About Your HVAC?

Admit it: You probably don’t think about your indoor comfort system until it stops working and you become either too cold or too hot. It’s human nature to put something in the back of your mind as long as it doesn’t cause a problem and stays in the background.

And you might think of your heating and cooling system as just a “box” that can be turned on or off in order to control your temperature. But your system is a lot more than that.

It doesn’t just control temperature. It has an impact on the air that you breathe, on moisture and mold growth, the amount of energy that you use and money that you spend, and most importantly, on you and your family’s health.

Don’t ignore your heating and cooling system. Your HVACR system is a great big mechanical system, just like your automobile. You know that you need to keep your car tuned up and get your oil changed regularly. Your comfort system also requires regular maintenance from qualified specialists.

Ignoring your comfort system means it will break down more, need replacement sooner, cost you more money throughout its shortened lifespan, and it might impact your health.

from – www.acca.org/homes/

The Importance of Pre–Season Furnace Checks

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I know it’s still hot outside, but winter is just around the corner. I am often asked “Why should I get my furnace checked?” or “Do I really need to have my furnace checked? “The answer is yes, especially if you have gas heat.

One of the main reasons is that it is the best way to insure trouble free operation and avoid problems when you need your furnace the most. Also, because most systems use natural gas there is a possibility of fire or release of carbon monoxide into your conditioned space.

There are built in safeties in place to prevent this, but is important to check them for operation. The gas burners on a furnace shoot flames through tubes. These tubes are called heat exchangers. If there are any cracks or abnormalities in the heat exchanger, the burned gases (carbon monoxide) can mix with your indoor air. Also, if the evaporator coil or blower is dirty, heat buildup in the heat exchanger could cause premature cracking.

In older furnaces, rust and dirt can build up on the burners causing pockets of gas. This creates hot spots on the heat exchanger. An inspection of your heating system can help to prevent these problems. Below are some of the items on the pre-season checklist.
Indoor units

  • Inspect and clean blower assembly (includes blower housing, blower wheel and motor)
  • On older models, lubricate motor and inspect and replace fan belt if needed
  • Check combustion blower housing for lint and debris and clean as necessary
  • Inspect evaporator coil, drain pan and condensate drain lines. Clean as needed
  • Inspect for gas leaks in gas furnaces
  • Inspect burner assembly—clean and adjust as needed
  • Inspect ignition system and safety controls—clean and adjust as needed
  • Inspect heat exchanger or heating elements
  • Inspect flue system—check for proper attachment to the furnace, any dislocated sections, and for signs of corrosion. Replace if necessary
  • Inspect control box, associated controls, wiring and connections
  • Clean or replace air filters
  • Inspect conditioned airflow system (ductwork)—check for leaks

 

Source: September 28, 2011 Author: cdoelle

Can You Save Money by Closing HVAC Vents in Unused Rooms?

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Your air conditioner, heat pump, or furnace probably uses a lot of energy. Heating and cooling makes up about half of the total energy use in a typical house. For air conditioners and heat pumps using electricity generated in fossil-fuel fired power plants, the amount you use at home may be only a third of the total. A question I get asked frequently is whether or not it’s OK to close vents in unused rooms to save money. The answer may surprise you.

On the return side, you’ll typically see plain grilles, but on the supply side, where the conditioned air gets blown back into the house, most HVAC contractors install registers like the one above. It has a lever of some sort that allows you to adjust the louvers behind the grille.

You’d think that since it’s adjustable, it must be OK to open or close it to suit your needs, right?

The blower and the blown

The blower in your HVAC system is the heart of the air distribution. It pulls air from the house through the return ducts and then pushes it back into the house through the supply ducts. In high-efficiency systems, the blower is powered by an electronically commutated motor (ECM), which can adjust its speed to varying conditions. The majority of blowers, however, are of the permanent split capacitor (PSC) type, which is not a variable speed motor.

In either case, the system is designed for the blower to push against some maximum pressure difference. That number is typically 0.5 inches of water column (iwc). If the filter gets too dirty or the supply ducts are too restrictive, the blower pushes against a higher pressure.

In the case of the ECM, a high pressure will cause the motor will ramp up in an attempt to maintain proper air flow. An ECM is much more efficient than a PSC motor under ideal conditions, but as it ramps up to work against higher pressure, you lose that efficiency. You still get the air flow (maybe), but it costs you more.

The PSC motor, on the other hand, will keep spinning merrily along at the same speed. The higher pressure means less air flow. Less air flow means the blower works less hard. Less work means less instantaneous energy use, but since it’ll probably run longer, any savings there are unlikely to materialize.

The important thing to remember here is that no matter which type of blower motor your HVAC system has, it’s not a good thing when it has to push against a higher pressure.

Closed vents increase pressure

In a well-designed system, the blower moves the air against a pressure that’s no greater than the maximum specified by the manufacturer (typically 0.5 iwc). The ideal system also has low duct leakage. So now we’re ready to address the question of closing vents.

When you start closing vents in unused rooms, you make the duct system more restrictive. The pressure increases, and that means an ECM blower will ramp up to keep air flow up whereas a PSC blower will move less air. Most homes don’t have sealed ducts either, so the higher pressure in the duct system will mean more duct leakage, as shown below.

The more vents you close, the higher the pressure in the duct system goes. The ECM blower will use more and more energy as you do so. The PSC blower will work less but not move as much conditioned air. In both cases, the duct leakage will increase further.

What about heat?

In addition to moving air, your air conditioner, heat pump, or furnace is also cooling or heating that air that flows through the system. The air passes over a coil or heat exchanger and either gives up heat or picks up heat.

In a fixed-capacity system—and most are—the amount of heat the coil or heat exchanger is capable of absorbing or giving up is fixed. When the air flow goes down, less heat exchange happens with the air. As a result, the temperature of the coil or heat exchanger changes.

If air flow is low, it’ll dump less heat into the coil in summer, and the coil will get colder. If there’s water vapor in the air, the condensation on the coil may start freezing. You might even end up with a block of ice, as shown in the photo below. And ice on the coil is really bad for air flow.

It’s also bad for the compressor as not all of the refrigerant evaporates and liquid refrigerant makes its way back to the compressor. If you want to have to buy a new compressor, this is a good way to do it.

Same thing if you have low air flow over a heat pump coil in winter. You could get a really hot coil, high refrigerant pressure, and a blown compressor or refrigerant leaks.

Similarly, low air flow in a furnace can get the heat exchanger hot enough to cause cracks. Those cracks, then, allow exhaust gases to mix with your conditioned air. When that happens, your duct system can become a poison distribution system as it could be sending carbon monoxide into your home.

7 unintended consequences of closing vents

Let me now summarize the problems I’ve described above that can result from closing vents in your home. The first thing that happens is the air pressure in the duct system increases, which may give rise to these negative consequences:

  • Increased duct leakage
  • Lower air flow with PSC blowers
  • Increased energy use with ECM blowers
  • Comfort problems because of low air flow
  • Frozen air conditioner coil
  • Dead compressor
  • Cracked heat exchanger, with the potential for getting carbon monoxide in your      home

You’re not guaranteed to get all the problems that apply to your system, but why take the chance.

 by Allison Bailes on Fri, Jul 25, 2014
Source

 

FBI Investigates R-22 Substitute Air Conditioner Refrigerants

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“And the battle over air conditioner refrigerants continues. The US EPA just issued another warning, “cautioning homeowners, manufacturers of propane-based refrigerants, home improvement contractors and air conditioning technicians of the safety hazards related to the use of propane in existing motor vehicle and home air conditioning systems.” Now the FBI has entered the battle, too.

A year ago I wrote about the use of hydrocarbon-based refrigerants being sold as substitutes for R-22, the dominant refrigerant of the past two decades that is being phased out to protect the ozone layer. Yes, propane and other hydrocarbons can work just fine as refrigerants for air conditioners.

The problem arises when they’re used in place of non-hydrocarbon based refrigerants like R-22. Hydrocarbons are flammable and can create hazards for HVAC service technicians who may not take proper precautions if they don’t know that a flammable refrigerant has been substituted for the nonflammable they expect to be in the system.

You can find plenty of the substitutes online, and you don’t even have to be a licensed HVAC contractor to buy them. Evidently the problem hasn’t gone away since I wrote about it last year. Hence the FBI’s involvement. They’re looking for homeowners and do-it-yourselfers who have gotten these flammable refrigerants into their air conditioners so they can go after the sellers.

The FBI lists several refrigerant names they’re focusing their investigation on:

  • Super-Freeze 22a
  • Super-Freeze 12a
  • Super-Freeze 134a
  • Enviro-Safe 22a
  • R134a

See the FBI’s page to learn more about their investigation or to complete their questionnaire if you’ve gotten any of the unapproved refrigerants in your air conditioner.”

by Allison Bailes on Thurs. July 24, 2014
Source

Does a Dirty Furnace Filter Impact Equipment Performance?

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Does a Dirty Furnace Filter Impact Equipment Performance?

By Donald Munn 

Unfortunately one of the most often neglected maintenance tasks for residential heating and air conditioning systems is changing the furnace filter. A furnace filter is an extremely important component of any air conditioner or furnace.

Many people use the cheap disposable fibreglass furnace filters thinking they are getting good value for their money. The reality is that these filters are next to useless because they don’t remove enough dust from the air to make much of a difference.

There is greater value in using one of the more efficient varieties of furnace filter available and there are many to choose from, beginning with the most commonly used pleated furnace filter to some of the lesser known specialty filters commonly used in many homes.

Why is the furnace filter so important?
There are several very important things that happen when people don’t change their furnace filter or air conditioner filter. You often hear that not changing your air conditioner filter or furnace filter will cause problems.

What really happens?

Air Conditioner Filter

  • Reduced refrigerant operating pressures within the air conditioner which can cause the evaporator coil to ice up.
  • Reduced cooling capacity which results in longer run times and higher energy costs.
  • Poor air circulation throughout your home resulting in some spaces not being cooled      properly.

Furnace Filter

  • Reduced air flow across the heat exchanger resulting in higher heat exchanger operating temperatures. This can result in cracked heat exchangers causing Co to leak into the space being heated.
  • Increased run times due to lower air flow. This results in higher fuel costs because it takes longer to heat the space. In electric forced air furnaces the result is the same except your power bill will be higher.

A common belief is that the blower fan also has to work harder when the furnace filter is dirty but this claim is only made by people who don’t really understand the operating characteristics of a centrifugal fan.

How often should you change your furnace filter?
To ensure that your furnace or air conditioner continues to operate at maximum efficiency it is very important to replace or clean your air filter at least every three months for one and two inch filters. Four inch filters can often be left in the system longer depending on the filter efficiency and several other factors.

Which replacement furnace filter is the best?
Selecting the best furnace filter is not an easy thing to do because there are so many variables to consider. There are filters to meet virtually every need. Allergy sufferers may require a very efficient filter, while a person who has no allergies only requires a moderately efficient filter. Maybe you don’t have allergies but you hate dusting and that is what guides you in making your decision.

To make things even more complicated, there are even duct mounted air purifiers that you can use in conjunction with a your furnace filter. These help to purify the air even further.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Munn