Monday, August 24, 2009

The truth about heating systems.

This is my first blog ever. Not even really sure what "blogging" is.

I want to complain about the United States government still using AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) to rate boilers in this country. Over two years ago the Dept. of Energy had Brookhaven National Labs test several boilers to see if the AFUE rating system was accurate. They found it was not. If you are using your boiler to heat your hot water in addition to heating your home as most boilers do, you could be under 50% efficient even though the AFUE rating states 85% efficient.

You can install an "Energy Star" rated brand new boiler in your home and still be only 50% efficient !!!

I went to an elderly customers home last year because they wanted to know why after replacing their 40 year old boiler with a new Energy Star rated boiler their fuel use went up over 10%. They almost started crying when I told them that after spending $4000.00 on a new boiler they had actually reduced their efficiency. They could not afford to replace thier boiler again, now they are stuck using more fuel probably until the day they pass away.

Why doesn't the new study become mainstream? Why is our government keeping this study almost secret?

Why is this countries most efficient Heat & hot water system not eligible for a tax credit, but less efficient European boilers are?

http://www.foxheating.com/

1 comment:

  1. I agree very much to this blog. I've read the same literature as the writer and I've seen similar situations. Another interesting aspect is to see people go backwards because new cast-iron boilers arent made as well as they were years ago is quite ironic, but, also very true. Customer's should really be awares that a simple gasket in between those cast-iron sections could cost an arm and a leg to replace. Why not moderinize, look at new-age steel. Energy Kinetics boiler is Steel. Commericial boilers trying for the highest efficiency are also Steel. That says something to me.

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