Many homeowners in New England who have oil-fired boilers and furnaces are looking for ways to reduce their heating costs. Obviously, lowering the heating load of a home by air-sealing and adding insulation is a priority and typically the most cost-effective way to obtain savings.
However, after you have tightened up your home and finished adding R-value through insulation, you have options to improve the efficiency of your boiler or furnace. First, make sure you have it cleaned and have an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) test done. Next, you may want to consider converting your boiler or furnace to a cold start system.
Most oil-fired boilers have a tank-less coil for hot water so the boiler must maintain a high boiler temperature to produce a minimal amount of hot water for such domestic uses as showering and running a washing machine or dishwasher. Oil fired boilers with tank-less coils are constructed of either cast iron or steal and contain between 13 and 40 gallons of water. That is a lot of water to heat, and because most boilers do not have a lot of insulation but do have a 6-inch or bigger vent flue pipe, the heat loss is significant.
In the summer, the oil-fired boiler must maintain a high internal water temp of at least 140°F for the 13 to 40 gallons of boiler water to be ready to produce hot water for showering and other domestic uses. A cold start boiler does not need to maintain a high temperature and can save about 150 gallons of oil per year.
A second option is to add a weather-responsive controller to your boiler. Weather responsive controls for oil or propane forced-hot-water heating systems, also known as boiler reset controls or boiler water temperature controls, are designed to adjust your heating system water temperature in relation to the outdoor temperature. These controls help your home maintain a constant temperature to produce an even comfort level in the most cost-effective way possible, help extend the life of your boiler, and provide a 10% to 20% reduction in heating fuel usage.
As a home performance contractor, Energy Egghead can convert your boiler to a cold start system and install weather responsive controls for your boiler. Feel free to contact us for a quote at 978-388-6349 or by email at customerservice@energyegghead.com.