Boiler efficiency is a vital piece of information to know about your heating system. This is because it will tell you how much of the fuel is turned into heat for your building and home.
Modern ‘A’ rated boilers are highly efficient, wasting only 6% of the fuel that they burn. However, not all boilers are performing at this level.
Check Your Water Level
Over time, boilers will naturally lose water and this water must be replaced to keep the system operating in spec. The amount of water that the system is using, however, must also be carefully monitored and adjusted to prevent overworking the unit.
If the water level drops too low, a common response is to add more, according to SCS Plumbing and Heating. While this is a good idea in a pinch, adding more water will actually drain the system. This will force the boiler to work harder in order to convert that water into steam, increasing fuel consumption and decreasing efficiency. In addition, it will require more heat to bring that water back up to working temperatures.
This can also create too much pressure in the boiler vessel. As steam turns into water, it becomes increasingly incompressible, and the more that is inside of a boiler, the higher the internal pressure will become. This strain will ultimately reduce the lifespan of the boiler and could even cause leaks or explosions in severe cases.
Fortunately, many modern boilers are fitted with a visual to help the operators monitor the water level. It is recommended to make a habit of checking the sight glass regularly and becoming familiar with what the normal level looks like, so that you can spot low levels early on.
In addition to checking the sight glass, you should also be aware of how fast steam is exiting the boiler. If the steam is leaving too quickly, it will pull boiler water along with it, causing surging. This can be particularly troublesome if the steam is exiting through pipes that are sized too small.
The best way to prevent these issues is to perform regular blowdowns on your boiler system. This will flush out sludge and sediment in the lines and help to maintain proper water levels. When performing a blowdown, it is important to open the valves gradually in order to allow the piping to properly warm up. Opening the valves too quickly can lead to water hammer, which can damage components. A qualified technician should be able to recommend the ideal blowdown routine for your boiler.
Check Your Sight Glass
When a boiler is operating efficiently, it converts fuel into heat with minimal waste. However, it is not possible to know whether a boiler is running efficiently unless you can see it for yourself. In order to do that, you must inspect the sight glass regularly.
A sight glass is a transparent industrial glass that allows plant managers or engineers to look into their systems without disrupting the flow of operations. It allows them to observe critical factors such as pressures or chemicals, which can be dangerous if not monitored correctly.
There are many different types of sight glasses, and the type you need depends on your application. For example, if you are working with high temperature applications, then you will want to use a flat gauge glass that is designed to handle those temperatures. Tempered borosilicate glass is a good choice for these applications because it is capable of withstanding up to 550°F and will not degrade.
Another common sight glass is used for oil-based applications, and it is made to withstand the oils and fluids that are often found in these types of processes. It is important to make sure that the sight glass you choose can withstand the materials and fluids you will be using it with, as this will ensure that your ability to use it for system monitoring is not tarnished or degraded.
If you are working with liquid line refrigerants, then a sight glass is an essential part of your system because it will help to monitor the level of refrigerant. A sight glass can be placed in a variety of places within your system, but it is usually best to place it in the liquid line after the filter drier. This will allow you to see whether or not the system is leaking and will also help you to identify any signs of contamination.
It is recommended that you check your sight glass at least once a month. Taking this step will help you to detect any issues early on and make necessary repairs before they become too large or problematic. In addition, getting your sight glass inspected regularly will also reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which is a serious danger to your family’s health.
Check Your Stack Temperature
Keeping your boiler at peak efficiency is one of the simplest ways to ensure that your energy bills are as low as possible. The good news is that if you’ve got a modern ‘A’ rated boiler then it’s likely already well above 90% efficiency. But that doesn’t mean that you don’t have to do some checking up to make sure that it is still performing as efficiently as possible.
Boiler efficiency is determined by measuring how much of the fuel you use actually turns into heat to warm up your home or business. This is shown as a percentage of energy used e.g. 94% efficient with 6% being lost or wasted (or ‘lost energy’). Modern non-condensing boilers tend to be around 89-94% efficient, whilst older heating only boilers can be significantly lower than this.
When you are assessing your boiler’s efficiency, it’s important to take into account the fuel-to-steam ratio and stack loss. The fuel-to-steam ratio is a measure of the amount of the gas that is converted into useful heating and the remainder that is expelled up the flue. Stack losses are the heat loss through the boiler surfaces and can be embedded into the efficiency calculation using either the Input-Output or Stack Loss method.
To reduce these losses it’s a good idea to keep your boiler as clean as possible, especially on the inside. If there is an excessive amount of scale or soot build-up on your water side or fireside surfaces then this will lead to elevated stack gas temperatures. It is also a good idea to get your boiler serviced annually, not only to make sure that it is working as efficiently as possible, but also to keep you safe and reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
If you find that your boiler isn’t as efficient as it could be, then it may be time to consider an upgrade to a newer, more energy-efficient boiler. Alternatively, ticking off the few simple energy-saving tweaks mentioned in this article can give your existing boiler that extra boost it needs to perform at its best.
Check Your Burner
With heating bills making up a significant portion of homeowners energy expenses it makes sense to want to save on these costs as much as possible. One of the best ways to do this is to ensure that your boiler is running as efficiently as it can possibly do. Maximising your boiler’s efficiency can be a simple task that anyone can do. Simply follow our easy guide, and see if you can tick all of the boxes to help reduce your boiler’s energy consumption.
The first thing you should do is check the manufacturer’s recommended specifications to find out whether or not your boiler is running at peak efficiency. These parameters will act as the best guardrails to follow, and can vary based on boiler type. These specifications will also include information regarding heat output, maximum temperature and gas and water pressure. If all of these are in line with the manufacturer’s expectations then you can rest assured that your boiler is at – or close to – its peak efficiency.
Another important indicator of boiler efficiency is the colour of the flame that emerges from your burner when it is on. If the flame is yellow or orange, this indicates incomplete combustion, and means that your boiler is wasting fuel. In some cases, it may even be emitting carbon monoxide, which is extremely dangerous and requires immediate action.
To prevent this from happening, always ensure that the flue is open when you are firing your boiler up. This will prevent the heat from escaping through the flue and pre-heating the air entering the boiler, and will also help to keep your stack temperature low.
Finally, it is essential that you get your boiler serviced on a regular basis. This is not only a legal requirement (if you are a landlord), but it will also ensure that your boiler is operating at its peak efficiency. In fact, a full power flush can often increase boiler efficiency and reduce heating bills by as much as 20%.
If you would like to have your boiler serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer, contact us today. We can offer you a free, no obligation quotation and will be happy to discuss how we can help you get the most out of your boiler.