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We have an older home (1960's), something like 2,300+ sf. Finished, unheated basement. We've replaced most of the windows, garage doors, some of the doors to the house. Programable thermostat kept at mid 60's for most of the day, 60 at night. The boiler/heater whatever it's called is the original from when the house was built, apparently top of the line in it's day. It's now working at 75% efficency but we've had two quotes to replace it and worked out it will take about 9 years to break even. We spend about $450 per month to heat the house and hot water, 2 adults, 3 kids. So my question is...how the heck do I save money on my heating bills. Would I be better off installing some kind of small water heater seperate from the main boiler so that every time I turn the tap on I'm not firing up the huge boiler. Anyone know what my options are? There has to be a better way. $450 per month to be cold in your own home is nuts!
We have an older home (1960's), something like 2,300+ sf. Finished, unheated basement. We've replaced most of the windows, garage doors, some of the doors to the house. Programable thermostat kept at mid 60's for most of the day, 60 at night. The boiler/heater whatever it's called is the original from when the house was built, apparently top of the line in it's day. It's now working at 75% efficency but we've had two quotes to replace it and worked out it will take about 9 years to break even. We spend about $450 per month to heat the house and hot water, 2 adults, 3 kids. So my question is...how the heck do I save money on my heating bills. Would I be better off installing some kind of small water heater seperate from the main boiler so that every time I turn the tap on I'm not firing up the huge boiler. Anyone know what my options are? There has to be a better way. $450 per month to be cold in your own home is nuts!
Boilermate! Relatively inexpensive to install but it will save you a fortune!!!
Water heater wraps are probably the most cost effective measure out of all the energy conservation techniques. There are no other conservation measures that have the life expectancy, cost, and payback advantages that a water heater wrap has.
The insulation jacket lasts as long as the water heater, and if you are as frugal as I am, I take the old wrap and put it on the new heater, if it will fit. Average life of a water heater, 10 years... wrap cost $30...
the savings vary from $30 to $50 per year, depending on the efficiency of your water heater.
What water heater wraps do is maintain the temperature of the water longer. In other words, the heating elements (or nat. gas) do not have to come on as often when a insulation jacket is installed. Besides the fact that it saves you money on your energy bills, it will, without question, prolong the life of the water heater.
To illustrate this -- you and your neighbor work at the same place, 10 miles away. With all else being equal except that you drive to work at 25 mph and he/she does it at 40 mph. He/she gets to work or home in 11 minutes and it takes you 12 minutes. As far as the cars are concerned, which car will use more gas for the same distance ? Which car will require more maintenance ? Which car will last longer ?
This applies to a water heater in much the same way. The average household actually only uses hot water a little bit more than a hour. For example, it may take you 45 minutes to wash clothes, but it only takes 2 minutes for the washer to fill with hot water. Your children may take 45 minute showers, they are only using the water in the shower 15 minutes at most. Try staying under a hot shower for more than 15 minutes, you will come out looking like a prune.
What this means is that for more than 22 hours a day, the water heater just maintains the temperature of the water. So let's say you are excessive with hot water, let's double it, it is still more than 20 hours a day just maintaining the temperature. Clearly the vast majority of the cost to operate a water heater is maintaining the temperature of the water when no one is using hot water.
To further illustrate this: a water heater without the insulation jacket comes on to maintain the temperature 4 times an hour. One with the insulation jacket 3 times an hour.
On top of that, the water heater without the jacket will stay on for a longer period than one with the jacket. Since all heating elements create hostile environments, regardless of if it is electric or gas, the more times per hour and the longer the heating elements stay on, the shorter the lifespan of the water heater. You will benefit from the installation of the insulation jacket, but who will not benefit are the people who install hwh's for a living and the hwh manufacturers.
Water heater wraps are probably the most cost effective measure out of all the energy conservation techniques. There are no other conservation measures that have the life expectancy, cost, and payback advantages that a water heater wrap has.
The insulation jacket lasts as long as the water heater, and if you are as frugal as I am, I take the old wrap and put it on the new heater, if it will fit. Average life of a water heater, 10 years... wrap cost $30...
the savings vary from $30 to $50 per year, depending on the efficiency of your water heater.
What water heater wraps do is maintain the temperature of the water longer. In other words, the heating elements (or nat. gas) do not have to come on as often when a insulation jacket is installed. Besides the fact that it saves you money on your energy bills, it will, without question, prolong the life of the water heater.
To illustrate this -- you and your neighbor work at the same place, 10 miles away. With all else being equal except that you drive to work at 25 mph and he/she does it at 40 mph. He/she gets to work or home in 11 minutes and it takes you 12 minutes. As far as the cars are concerned, which car will use more gas for the same distance ? Which car will require more maintenance ? Which car will last longer ?
This applies to a water heater in much the same way. The average household actually only uses hot water a little bit more than a hour. For example, it may take you 45 minutes to wash clothes, but it only takes 2 minutes for the washer to fill with hot water. Your children may take 45 minute showers, they are only using the water in the shower 15 minutes at most. Try staying under a hot shower for more than 15 minutes, you will come out looking like a prune.
What this means is that for more than 22 hours a day, the water heater just maintains the temperature of the water. So let's say you are excessive with hot water, let's double it, it is still more than 20 hours a day just maintaining the temperature. Clearly the vast majority of the cost to operate a water heater is maintaining the temperature of the water when no one is using hot water.
To further illustrate this: a water heater without the insulation jacket comes on to maintain the temperature 4 times an hour. One with the insulation jacket 3 times an hour.
On top of that, the water heater without the jacket will stay on for a longer period than one with the jacket. Since all heating elements create hostile environments, regardless of if it is electric or gas, the more times per hour and the longer the heating elements stay on, the shorter the lifespan of the water heater. You will benefit from the installation of the insulation jacket, but who will not benefit are the people who install hwh's for a living and the hwh manufacturers.
I did this with my previous water heater and it dropped my bill down by nearly 20%
OP does not have a hot water heater though... she gets her hot water off of her boiler... nothing to wrap.
I was just in home depot and they have the wrap you speak of with sticky stuff on it already..nice touch- no fussing with duct tape
OK the best replacement would be an on demand hot water heater.
On demand water heater (Gas fired, they do make electric) for a whole house like yours is about 900-1200 in the box at home despot and you can learn how to install it yourself at Home Despot, Or pay a contractor. They will charge a minimum 15% markup on anything they buy for you.
If you don't want to spend that much you can just install a regular water heater, they come electric or gas. And go ahead and wrap it. Oh yea insulate the pipes too.
If you have a boiler/steam heat system i do not know what to say about replacing it, except to insulate your house better. The cost savings from insulation is dramatic. Re; Wileynj 20% saving from a water heater wrap.
As far as wrapping a water heater: yes you can get a wrap at Home despot. also it could still have some benefit even if the heater is not warm to the touch or has already been insulated inside the metal jacket.
I don't know anything about boilers but you didn't mention attic insulation. A lot of heat can go right out the roof if not properly insulated. Also, are you sure that the windows and doors were properly insulated when the new ones were installed? The previous owner of my house had replaced some of the windows. My first year in the house I could feel the draft around the windows. My brother took off the moldings and sure enough, no insulation.
I don't know anything about boilers but you didn't mention attic insulation. A lot of heat can go right out the roof if not properly insulated. Also, are you sure that the windows and doors were properly insulated when the new ones were installed? The previous owner of my house had replaced some of the windows. My first year in the house I could feel the draft around the windows. My brother took off the moldings and sure enough, no insulation.
Great tip. When we replced ours, we did save on heat.
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