Heating

Heating is the largest energy expense, accounting for approximately half of annual energy bills in colder climates. Replacing old heating equipment with more efficient models will save energy and money. However, your home's heating equipment is part of a larger system. In order to gain the benefits of a better heating system, it is important to properly maintain existing equipment, use a programmable thermostat, seal air leaks, test air ducts for leaks, and maintain adequate ventilation.

2. Benefits

Energy Savings
If you have an older, inefficient furnace, upgrading to high efficiency heating equipment can cut your costs by more than one-third. Using a programmable thermostat adds even more savings. Your energy costs will decrease 1% for every 1 degree you lower the thermostat.

The additional savings from installing smaller heating equipment is significant. Properly sized equipment runs more efficiently, lasting longer and requiring less maintenance. Smaller equipment requires that the home "envelope" be tight, which means adequate insulation, sealing air leaks, and having efficient windows. It is also critical to evaluate and address any leaks or defects in the duct work. The savings comes from multiple sources – efficiency pays! For a handy reference tool, download ENERGY STAR’s guide to energy-efficient heating and cooling.

Comfortable Living
Your heating system is the engine that keeps your home comfortable. By addressing air and duct leakage, your heating system will actually heat the rooms you live in by fixing the problems that allow expensive heated air from escaping to the outdoors or into wall cavities where it doesn’t get the job done. You will enjoy living in a more comfortable home that costs less to heat every month.

Increased Home Value
A study by The Appraisal Journal found that the selling price of homes increased by $20.73 for every $1 decrease in energy bills. If your energy bills average $1,500/yr. and you saved 40% or $600/yr., your home value would increase by more than $12,400. As energy costs rise, this return on investment grows.

Conservation
Individual actions at home can add up to a lot of pollution prevention. If just one in ten households bought ENERGY STAR heating and cooling products, the change would keep over 17 billion pounds of pollution out of the air.

3. Equipment & Services

Natural gas furnaces. Furnaces are rated by an Average Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE). While the minimum standard is an 80% AFUE, investing a bit more in a 90%+ AFUE furnace is provides more energy savings. These high efficiency units are closed combustion, which eliminates any potential for carbon monoxide poisoning from the furnace. They also provide more comfort and variable speed units save electricity. WIth the increasing and volatile costs of natural gas, this is an investment in your home. Download the Smart Energy Living toolkit for replacing and maintaining your furnace.

Air-Source Heat Pumps. Electric air-source heat pumps use the difference between outdoor air temperatures and indoor air temperatures to cool and heat your home. The system uses either electricity or the natural gas furnace, whichever is more efficient to heat your home depending on the outdoor winter temperature. In the summer, the heat pump works in reverse to provide central air conditioning. ENERGY STAR models are 20% more efficient than standard models.

Boilers. Units that meet ENERGY STAR have an AFUE of 85% or greater, and use 10% less energy than standard boilers.

Hot-water heating systems. Sometimes called hydronic systems, these are more common today than steam systems. Some hot-water systems circulate water through plastic tubing in the floor, a system called radiant floor heating. Download the Smart Energy Living article on radiant floor heating.

Ground-source heat pumps or Geothermal units. These run water down into the Earth, where temperatures are more consistent year-round. This is a more expensive option upfront, but their simplicity and efficiency makes them as much as 45% more efficient than conventional heating systems.

4. Air Ducts

Leaky air ducts are a major source of heating inefficiency. A Fort Collins study of 38 new homes found that the ducts leaked, on average, 12 times more than what is considered acceptable for a good duct work system. There are some repairs you may be able to do yourself, in places where the ducts are accessible (attic, basement, crawlspace). Otherwise, you can hire a contractor that specializes in duct repair. Download the Smart Energy Living toolkit on duct work.

5. Ventilation

Making sure you have the right ventilation levels is a health and safety issue. Using mechanical ventilation allows you to control the ventilation in your home, saving money and improving indoor air quality. There are three primary types of ventilation: exhaust or “spot”, supply and recovery. Download the Smart Energy Living article on ventilation.

6. Hiring Contractors
Download our heating contractor comparison form. Vist our list of heating contractors , air duct cleaning and air duct sealing professionals.

Questions to ask
Quality heating contractors will evaluate your home with an on-site inspection. Do not accept over-the-phone estimates because there is no way for a contractor to properly size and design your new heating system without an on-site inspection.

Certifications
Look for heating contractors that are certified by North American Technical Excellence (NATE). NATE is the only certification that is supported by the entire industry, and the testing process is quite rigorous. The core test covers basic math, customer relations, and fundamentals of electricity, heat transfer and comfort. The specialty tests cover system components, applied knowledge, diagnostics, troubleshooting, and service and installation topics. The certification is good for five years, and then the technician must re-certify to maintain their NATE accreditation. Learn more online, natex.org.

For more information on boilers, visit the American Boiler Manufacturers Association online, abma.com.
Air Duct cleaners are certified by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association. Learn more online, nadca.com.

References, licensing, insurance
It is always important to speak with previous customers, check with the Better Business Bureau and ask for verification of the necessary licensing and insurance requirements. Download a home improvement hiring checklist from the Federal Trade Commission.

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