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Here is a list of items that you should check..
If you have a
boiler heater (hot water) check and make sure the temperature settings
are
right. The high side should be no higher then 190 degrees and the low
should be around 175. This will save you a lot. What you don't want is
you heater coming on when the temperature is to low. This means your
heater will be on longer and working harder, so it's very important to
have these setting right and right for your house. Also make sue you
have your filters changed. Not just checked, but replaced.
Boiler settings There is something called "Delta T" what this means is when the hot water leaves your boiler it's as hot as the high side temperature setting of your boiler, say 190 degrees, it then runs the course threw your heaters getting colder and colder and then returning back to your boiler to run the whole course again. But when this colder water comes back it should not be less then 40 degrees warmer. The best way is to go out and buy one of those laser pointer temperature gauges...
and point it right at the feed side of the boiler taken note of the temperature and then the return. Making sure that there is no more then a 40 degrees difference. If there is you may have to
1) check your temperature settings.
2) You may have to many heater on one zone.
3) You can close one or more covers on the heaters.
4) Or even a room that is just cold due to a lack of insulation.
Doors
Check
all your exterior door seals. This is something you really wouldn't
notice in the summer time. Take a good look at them making sure you
cant see any light coming threw. A easy way it to lite a insect or if
you smoke, place some smoke around the door and see if you get any
movement. This a for-sure way to locate any air leaks.
Windows
During
the summer you opened and closed your windows. and by doing so you
could of very well of broken a seal. So examine all these seals very
well and of course replace any ripped or broken seals.
Outlets
When it's a windy and cold day, go around and place your hand
over all the exterior wall outlets and switches. There's a good chance
you will feel some oldness. Now in order to really fix this you would
have to install more insulation in the wall. But there's a easier way
to do this. If you go to your home store and ask for electrical outlet
seals. Most of the time they will be in the area where they keep all
the winter, door, window seals. Very easy to install, just remove the
outlet cover. And install this foam seal. The outlet cover goes right
over it.
Water Heater
Now most of us have a our
water heater in the basement, hey it works down there and it's out of
the way. The problem is most basements are unfinished and cold. What
you need to do is cover the hot water heater with a hot water heater
blanket. You can find these at your home store and are very cheap. Read
the instructions. Now your heater wont be working as hard in the summer
and winter.
Water Pipes
Most water pipes are
below us, they are in your cold basement ceilings or crawl spaces. This
means the water in these pipes never have a chance to get hot. You need
to wrap these pipes with insulation. Use these black foam covers, They
in different sizes, most homes would be 1/2 and 3/4 inch. They are very
easy to install, they just slip right over the pipe. This includes all
your base board hot water heater pipes. Look at like this. Hot water
leaves your heater at about a 190 degrees. And if that pip ran for say
15 feet before going into a heater that was all loose money and heat
coming off the pipe. So at one end it's 190 and 15 feet away its 185.
WOW what a waste. I mean this is how these heaters work, they dispense
the heat in the pipes via heaters. So insulating these pipes is a great
idea. And what a money saver.
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