DIY Network

Heating Your Home: Saving Energy and Avoiding Costly Heating Bills From "Blueprint for Home Building" episode DBHB-109

In this final segment host Jeff Wilson shares tips on saving energy and money when it comes to heating your new home.

In the first few segments of this "Heating Your Home" episode of Blueprint for Home Building, host Jeff Wilson has discussed the basics of heating your home and shared information on alternative heating methods, including the innovative radiant floor heating system. In this final segment he'll share some tips for saving energy and avoiding costly heating bills.

A large portion of your energy costs will be devoted to heating your new home. For this reason, it's important to make sure that your heating system runs as efficiently as possible.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

Here are some good tips for saving energy and avoiding high heating bills:

• Before purchasing a furnace for your new home, check it's A.F.U.E. rating, which stands for the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. Each furnace has this rating on it from the factory (figure A). The standard is about 80 percent, which measures how much heat goes into the home as opposed to going up the flue pipe. So if you have 80-percent efficient furnace, 80 percent of the heat generated in the heat exchanger is going into your home and 20 percent is going up the flue pipe and is not being used at all.

• If you purchase a heat pump, you'll want to check its H.S.P.F. rating (figure B), which stands for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. This rating works basically the same as the AFUE rating for gas furnaces. Based on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the best), a minimum efficiency heat pump will rate approximately 6.6, while high efficiency units will have a rating of 8.0 or higher.

• Change air filters for your heat pump or furnace on a regular basis. A dirty filter increases the air pressure drop in the system, which ultimately uses more energy or decreases the air flow to a point where the system isn't working properly.

• Have your builder or a heating specialist check the heat ducts for leakage. An HVAC professional can repair any leaks or gaps that are found.

• Weatherize your home by weather stripping or caulking around doors and windows. This will help keep heat from your system inside the home.

• Add programmable thermostats (figure C) to your central heating system. This will help save energy by not heating your home when you're away.

• Keep obstructions away from heating vents. This will help promote better heat flow throughout the house.

In the next episode of Blueprint for Home Building we'll talk about insulating your home.

GUESTS :

Greg Allen
Site Supervisor
Hendolhurst Homes
955 Markman Park Rd.
Baden, PA 15005
Phone: 724-935-5658
Fax: 724-935-0884
E-mail: gcrbs@adelphia.net

Anthony Grisolia
Building Performance Specialist
IBACOS, Inc.
Website: www.ibacos.com

Bruce Dickson
Project Manager
IBACOS
Website: www.ibacos.com

Kevin Waldo
Product Manager
Carrier Corp.
7310 W. Morris St.
Indianapolis, IN 46231
Phone: 317-240-5219
E-mail: Kevin.waldo@carrier.com
Website: www.global.carrier.com

Bill Rittlemann
Project Engineer
IBACOS
2214 Liberty Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Website: www.ibacos.com

Kirk Vigil
Regional Sales Mgr.
Wirsbo Co.
5925 148th St. W.
Apple Valley, MN 55124
Toll-free: 800-321-4739
Phone: 952-891-2000
Fax: 952-891-2008
Website: www.wirsbo.com

Jeff Thayer
Vice President, Sales
Hearth & Home Technologies™, Inc.
20802 Kensington Blvd.
Lakeville, MN 55044
Phone: 952-985-6577
Fax: 952-985-6777
E-mail: thayerj@hearthnhome.com
Website: www.hearthnhome.com

Dave Meyers
Vice President, National Accounts
Carrier Corp.,br> 7310 W. Morris St.
Indianapolis, IN 46220
E-mail: david.Meyers@carrier.litc.com

Gary Ostler
President
Four Seasons Heating and A.C., Inc.
367-D S. Vermont
Phone: 626-335-5496