Electric Heating Systems

Underfloor Heating - A Closer Look at Its Various Intrinsic Qualities

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Underfloor Heating is very popular these days to beat the chill even in cold areas. This can be done in many ways like radiant floor heating, through the use of PEX tubing or, through electric radiant floor heating etc. There are many reasons for their popularity and here are a few:

Underfloor heating lower energy charges :

As underfloor heating involves uniform heating areas without leaving any cold spaces, you can lower the thermostat. Needless to add this would not affect the overall warmth of the place. Hence, you can lower your electric bills and yet enjoy the warmth of warm floors even in harshest weather conditions. Additionally, lowering the temperature of the boiler would lead its higher longevity. Even installation cost is reduced to a great extent in this kind of heating system.

Underfloor heating is dust and pollution free :

Using air venting system for heating residential areas is a passé. This is because they come with many side effects. And one of them is dust problems, which get created from the returning air of a forced-air system. This sometimes pollutes the air and may also cause allergy problems. And for people with severe breathing problems this can wreck havoc. In underfloor heating there is no such problem; the heating system is hidden on the sub-floors. It is to be mentioned here that this type of heating is also advantageous to people with weak immune systems.

Underfloor heating has greater aesthetic value :

Underfloor heating system is hidden in the subfloors and no tubes or other devices are not visible above. Moreover, in this system there are no heat registers in the floor to make arrangements for your furniture accordingly. Hence, even from the aesthetic point of view electric underfloor heating is the best option enjoying a warm winter. This system is also ideal as there are no noises associated in it unlike other forced heating methods.

Use underfloor heating or electric floor heating in homes and offices and enjoy a warm winter in a noise and pollution free environment. Also reduce electricity charges with this amazing heating technology.

Posted in diy underfloor heating, electric underfloor heating, underfloor heating insulation, underfloor heating system, underfloor heating systems

Staying Warm: What A Difference A Decade Makes

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Older furnaces may deliver only 50%-60% efficiency. If your heating and cooling system is over 10 years old, you might be surprised to find out just how many advantages there are to the new systems. A properly installed furnace can provide 90+ AFUE heating efficiency. In fact, many of our furnaces exceed the EPA Energy Star rating. And with energy savings of up to 40%, the investment can be financially worthwhile. The savings on monthly utility bills will pay back the cost several times over the life of the equipment.

Other advances like computerized programmable thermostats, variable speed air handlers and the new scroll compressors on select models make newer systems quieter, more efficient and more comfortable than ever.

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Fall Heating System Tune-Up

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What you can do to help your heating or cooling products run smooth during the seasons you need them most:

Follow the manufacturer's maintenance instructions which generally include these instructions:

Keep air-supply outlets and return inlets clear of obstructions.
Clear leaves, brush, and dirt as they accumulate on the outside unit. If there's a pipe for draining condensate water, check it for blockage.
Check the air filter once a month during the operating season. Replace it if it looks dirty (some are washable).

Invest in a digital thermostat to program temperatures for your system to follow throughout the day. For example, if no one is home during the day, a programmable thermostat can run the air conditioner or furnace at a temperature that will require less energy, then the program can adjust itself to a temperature to your liking one hour before you come home.

Routinely have a professional contractor perform a pre-season check-up. Having your furnace inspected and serviced regularly is the best way to make sure you get the most from your investment. Depending on your area's climate, things like clogged filters, sooty flues and un-lubricated fan motors can reduce your system's efficiency by up to 25%. Plus a trained technician can spot trouble--before you're left out in the cold. A check-up can save you time, money and keep you comfortable during the coldest days. Here are some of the services your technician will perform during a system check:

Inspect your heat exchanger, unit wiring, flue pipes and all components.
Check air filter, safety controls, fan switch, fuel line and shut-off valves.
Clean burners, ignition components and blower wheels.
Lubricate motors to ensure smooth and efficient operation.
Secure all panels.
Calibrate thermostat for accurate and efficient performance.
Record system performance.

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High Efficiency Boilers

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High efficiency boilers are furnaces that operate by taking advantage of condensing to lower energy consumption and energy bills. This type of boiler is favored by many for its financial and environmental benefits.

How High Efficiency Boilers Work

High efficiency boilers save energy by recovering heat that would normally by removed through the flue system of an older model, non-condensing boiler. High efficiency gas boilers have large heat exchange mechanisms that enable them to maximize the transfer of heat from the burner. In the condensing mode, high efficiency boilers simply limit the loss of flue gases. This enables high efficiency boilers to take better advantage of heat produced.

Efficiency Ratings

Boiler models have efficiency ratings that rank from A to G. High efficiency boilers, which are always condensation models, have an A rating. A boiler's efficiency is a concern for those who want to keep energy bills as low as possible.

Boilers Efficiency has Several Impacts

High efficiency boilers are considered the superior models for a few advantageous reasons over non-condensing models. High efficiency gas boilers not only save money, but they reduce the use of natural gasses, as well. This makes high efficiency boilers the more environmentally friendly choice.

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Looking For A Quiet Space Heater? Try One Of These

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Delonghi Safe Heat
Here in New England the occurrence of Labor Day is like flipping a huge switch from summer to fall, even if summer is still in full swing. That’s because we all know the heating season is right around the corner and it’s time to examine the heating budget for another winter.

One of the ways to save money on your heating bill is through the efficient use of space heaters.

Posted in electric space heaters, quiet space heater

Evaporative Cooling - revealing the "Con" in air conditioning

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Green Energy (eu) now offers Evaporative Cooling to make a summer-time compliment to its Infrared Heating solution.

The energy-savings of this sort of cooling are staggering (90% plus!) when compared with air-conditioning. If you think that air-con accounts for 15% of total US energy-use (261 billion kW annually - this incidentally also equates to the entire annual fossil fuel consumption of Africa), the possible money, energy and ecological savings offered by this sort of technology are remarkable.

Now, evaporative cooling does not reduce temperatures to as low a level as air-con. It will typically bring temperatures down to about 21°C, but this is a very respectable, comfortable level for a hot summers day. There are other significant advantages which we show in the table below.

Evaporative Air Cooling	Refrigerated Air Conditioning
Uses 10% of the electricity required by conventional air conditioning	High electrical use due to refrigerant circuit compressor
No refrigerants	Uses environmentally damaging refrigerants
Supplies 100% fresh, outside air and cools it	Produces recycled internal air that is cool
Low Carbon Dioxide footprint	High Carbon Dioxide footprint
Simple engineering, easier and cheaper to maintain	Complex engineering, hard and expensive to maintain
Low purchase cost	High purchase cost
Performance improves at high temperatures	Performance reduces at high temperatures
Open windows and doors provide effective evacuation of air	Must not leave Windows & Doors open

As a sufferer of air-borne allergies at work caused by air-con, I love that one about being able to leave windows and doors open!

This sort of cooling does raise relative humidity within the space being cooled, however at temperatures below 25°C (which is what you're getting) this does not produce any feeling of discomfort. Nor is there a risk of condensation occurring if you follow the design guidelines for ensuring balanced airflow and evacuation that need to be followed when installing this sort of unit.

The question of Legionella does not apply to these systems as they operate below 25°C, do not let water stand and do not emit water droplets. In 3 million installations worldwide, there has not been a known case of Legionnaires.

Evaporative Cooling really does present a compelling energy-saving case against air-con and while it won't compete in instances where really low working temperatures are required, for 90% of home or commercial applications, it sits right in the comfort zone.

Posted in energy saving, evaporative cooling, Infrared heating