HEATING SYSTEM: BOILER VS. FURNACE

Many homeowners may confuse the terms boiler and furnace, but, there is an easy way to remember: a boiler uses hot water (think of "boiling" water) to heat your home, and a furnace uses warm air (also referred to as forced air).

BOILER
A hydronic system uses water or steam to heat your home. In a hot water system, the boiler heats water to approximately 180 degrees. A circulator moves the water through the pipes that lead to baseboard heaters, radiators or radiant tubing.

In a steam system, the boiler turns the water into steam, which then rises through the pipes to radiators.

FURNACE
A warm air system uses a furnace to deliver the heat throughout the home. The air is heated in the furnace and a blower forces it into a duct system. The warm air is then released into your home, through vents or registers in your walls, ceilings or floors.

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Energy Efficiency: What Does It Really Mean?

The energy efficiency rating of heating and air conditioning equipment is critical, yet often misunderstood. It is important to understand what the ratings stand for and how they are determined in the first place. 

The standards for energy efficiency are set by the U.S. Dept. of Energy and every piece of heating and air conditioning equipment is assigned one of three efficiency ratings, which must appear on the products.

The three ratings include:

• SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). This is how air conditioners and heat pumps are rated. The higher the SEER number, the greater the energy efficiency. Currently, the approved minimum SEER rating is 13.0, while the highest SEER rating available is 21.0.
• AFUE (Average Fuel Utilization Efficiency). This is the measurement of efficiency of gas and oil-fired heating equipment. It's shown in percentages and the number indicates how much fuel is used to heat a house - and how much is wasted. For example, a 79.5% AFUE means that 20.5% is wasted. So, the higher the number the better the efficiency and the least waste. Replacing an old, inefficient heating system can result in significant energy savings, as much as 40%!
• HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor). While a heat pump's cooling efficiency is measured by SEER, HSPF determines its heating efficiency. The most efficient heat pumps have an HSPF between 8.0 and 10.0.

Although these efficiency rating standards are technical, familiarizing yourself with these numbers and what they mean can be helpful in making decisions regarding heating and cooling equipment for your home. And, your Gault Energy Comfort Specialists can help guide you every step of the way in determining which makes the most sense for you, your family, and your budget!

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How the Nest Thermostat is helping home become more Energy Efficient

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Heating and cooling your home accounts for about 50% of the total energy bill of a typical American household. How could we say no to a device that can reduce usage, spending and emissions?

New Yorker’s, for example, have 4 seasons to go through and adjust our homes accordingly. The Nest will take notice as you change your habits from season to season and the device will adapt with you. It will figure out when you are out of the house or aren’t occupying certain rooms and adjust the temperature accordingly, making it slightly cooler or warmer; whichever you like. It will begin to program itself without consumer behavior. For instance, if you want the temperature at 75 at night and the air conditioning off during the day, the Nest will pre-set those changes for you. You can change what you don’t like and learns and changes along with how your behavior changes. The best part? It can be regulated from your smartphone.

If you’re really interested on just how much energy you’re using, Nest continually collects data and will generate and send you a free report on your monthly usage. The device can save you as little as 5% to as much as 60% in energy, regardless of your geographic location. It is designed to be user friendly and help you make the most intelligent use of your energy.

For more information on the Nest visit http://nest.com/.

Call us at (203) 227-5181 or visit www.GaultEnergy.com to find out where you can get a Nest and have it installed today!