HVAC HEALTHY HVAC
Paul Arnold, Product Manager at Remeha, looks at some of the low-cost measures that can help keep a heating service running optimally during the winter months.
When it comes to the heating system, ensuring a reliable, energy-efficient service is more important than ever as outside temperatures fall. And fortunately, there are simple steps that can be taken to keep building comfort levels high and energy costs low as winter bites.
Proactive maintenance Heating is a large user of energy, so it’s important that the service operates efficiently, particularly in winter when demand is highest, to avoid unnecessarily high bills and emissions.
“Boiler insulation degrades over time and on old equipment can reduce a boiler’s efficiency by 10%.”
Many UK non-domestic buildings rely on commercial boilers for their heating, whether as the sole provider of heat or in conjunction with low carbon technologies like combined heat and power (CHP) or heat pumps. Like people and cars, boilers need looking after so that they can continue to operate reliably and effectively. For this reason, a full service should be carried out on an annual basis according to manufacturer’s instructions.
But regular maintenance and inspection is equally important to ensure the best performance from boilers, keeping efficiencies and comfort levels high. Here’s a look at some of the low-cost measures that can deliver considerable savings.
Savings through improved control Effective control enables a boiler to operate at top efficiency levels for maximum energy savings and minimum environmental impact. Improved control can deliver big savings of up to 15%, according to the Carbon Trust, while creating a consistently comfortable environment for building occupants and reducing plant maintenance costs. So it’s certainly worth considering an upgrade.
We recommend that the minimum control strategy should encompass weather compensation, optimisation, full-temperature control, and sequential controllers for multiple boiler arrangements. These must be fully integrated into the building management system to maximise energy savings.
Control settings should also be checked and adjusted on a regular basis. Turning the thermostat down by just 1°C could reduce heating bills by 10%, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
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Savings from water treatment Water quality can affect both the performance and lifespan of boilers and the heating system.
If left untreated, sludge and debris can accumulate overtime in pipes and radiators, affecting the circulation of water in the primary circuit and heat output, and reducing the efficiency of the overall system.
In hardwater areas, lack of water treatment in hardwater areas can lead to the build-up of limescale in the boiler’s heat exchanger. This creates an insulating layer, inhibiting heat transfer to the water. A 1mm layer of limescale will cause a 7% increase in energy input to the boiler to meet the same heat demand.
Water treatment can resolve both issues. This should be carried out annually by a qualified technician. Again, water quality should be checked on a regular basis.
Savings from improved insulation Carrying out regular condition surveys will help keep boiler efficiencies high. Boiler insulation degrades over time and on old equipment can reduce a boiler’s efficiency by 10%, so it should be replaced when it is showing signs of wear. Similarly, replacing the insulation on the associated pipework and valves can result in further savings of up to 10% of the energy input.
Whole-life efficiency Even well-maintained boilers will eventually come to the end of their serviceable life and need replacing. After all, when assessing heating efficiency it’s important to include not just the heating equipment but also its maintenance and servicing.
So what should we look for when replacing a dated boiler plant?
“With a multiple boiler design, FMs have the option to plan phased
replacements that can be carried out in a live environment.”
Condensing boilers achieve the highest efficiencies of all boiler types and the lowest emissions. When replacing older boilers, look to share the heat load across multiple smaller-output condensing boilers rather than selecting one larger unit.
This arrangement improves whole-life efficiency as it allows the boilers to operate at part load and lower
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