A building’s heating system can account for 55% of your energy bills. For that reason, it’s crucial to ensure that it runs as efficiently as possible to cut down some costs in the long term as well as limit your carbon footprint in the environment.
One way to ensure its efficiency is by checking your boiler, which most homes have to provide hot water. These tend to lose heat after some time due to hot gases escaping up the pipe that extracts fumes and supplies fresh air to the boiler, though modern boilers are built to recover more heat, send cooler gases, and is, therefore, more energy-efficient.
How to Measure the Efficiency Rating of your Boiler
You can measure the efficiency of your boiler by looking at the annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE). Modern boilers are required by law to display their AFUE, so for those with old boilers, this is an excellent reason to think about replacing it if you want to keep an eye on your energy bills.
AFUE showcases the ratio of heat output to the total fossil fuel energy consumed by the boiler. A right amount should have at least 90% of power in the fuel used to heat the home, while 10% makes up the fuel that escapes elsewhere. Other ways to determine your system’s efficiency is by looking at the following equipment features:
Old, Low-Efficiency Boiler:
- Continuous pilot light
- Heavy heat exchanger
- 56% to 70% AFUE
- Has a natural draft that creates a flow of combustion gases
Mid-Efficiency Boiler:
- Combustion gases are precisely controlled using exhaust fans
- Instead of a pilot light, it uses electronic ignition
- Has a compact size and lighter weight to reduce cycling losses
- Has a small-diameter flue pipe
- 80% to 83% AFUE
High-Efficiency Boiler:
- Has a sealed combustion
- Has extra efficiency due to its ability to condense flue gases in a second
- 90% to 98.5% AFUE
Why You Should Upgrade your Boiler
Old boiler systems typically have an AFUE range between 56% to 70%, and while it does an excellent job of providing hot water for your home, it can exponentially increase your bills as it lacks the efficiency to convert the fuel accurately. To that end, upgrading your boiler is a must for those who want to cut energy costs and boiler’s pollution in half.
With a 90% efficiency rate for modern models, you can save up to £100 per year. It uses captured energy to heat water returning from the central heating system and results in an optimized performance where you can save fuel. While it may require quite a sum of investment, replacing your boiler to a more efficient one can save you more money in the long run.
If you are looking for a commercial boiler rental service in London, England, get in touch with us today to see how we can help.