Contents of RauwLetter August 2009
- How Does the Fuel Economizer Work?
- About Jack Hammer, Inventor of the Fuel Economizer
- Adirondack Park Losing Battle Against Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Heating and Cooling Tips
- Event - Live Green Energy Expo, September 5, 2009
- Referral Program
- Customer Coupon
How Does the Fuel Economizer Work?
As we enter into the stickiest month of the year, August is hardly the time most of us think about the approaching heating season. Enjoying the hot, hazy days of summer is a treat of city and country dwellers alike; cooler days not yet on the horizon of our minds or in our closets stuffed with shorts and sundresses.
Those cooler days, no matter how far away they may seem, are approaching. Soon summer's heat will give way to fall's crisp, colorful days; the kids will head back to school and we'll think about heating our homes once again. We may start thinking about signing contracts with oil companies. We may schedule annual maintenance on our boiler or furnace. That may be all the thought we give to winter preparations. The mechanics of heating our homes is not really our concern. Or should it be?
Approximately 40% of one's energy budget goes into heating the home. Little is known about the furnace or boiler that burns the fuel needed to carry out this function. The media and government have done a lot to educate the public about energy efficient light bulbs, insulation, Energy Star appliances, high-mileage automobiles, reducing, reusing and recycling, but they have done little to address the inefficiencies of boilers and furnaces.
Boilers are sized to provide comfort to all zones of a home on the coldest day of the year. What happens when that much heat isn't needed for your home? Because the boiler is oversized it produces more heat than needed almost all the time. This "residual" heat stays in the boiler and eventually dissipates up the flu.
How the boiler works is simple. When there is a call for heat from a thermostat, the boiler switches on and stays on until the call is satisfied or until the boiler reaches a temperature pre-set by the installer. Because the boiler is oversized, when the demand for heat is small, let's say one room has dipped below the thermostat setting, the entire boiler will fire up to satisfy the small demand. This produces residual heat that is wasted. By installing a Fuel Economizer onto an existing boiler, the computer algorithm-based monitor makes the boiler much more efficient. If there is a call for heat in a zone of the house, the Fuel Economizer will hold off firing up the boiler if its sensors tell it there is enough existing heat already within the boiler. Once this residual heat is used, the Fuel Economizer will go into standby and allow the boiler to fire as usual.
Because the burn cycle is held off, there are fewer cycles that occur. What this means is less fuel burned and, especially with boilers that burn oil, fewer environmental pollutants emitted. Homeowners will save money, save energy and reduce their carbon footprints with no compromise in comfort.
