You have already read plenty about how energy costs are rising. You know plenty well that heating your Washington DC home is a substantial expense, and that the cost of running a boiler is constantly on the rise.
But as technology has gotten better, so have boilers become more efficient at providing heat. It stands to reason that a more efficient boiler is one that costs less to run…but what does “efficient” really mean in the context of boilers? What makes a boiler “high efficiency”?
What Is a High Efficiency Boiler?
All boilers are rated according to a standardized system of rating efficiency, called the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE). Essentially, this rating tells you how much heat energy is produced by a boiler compared to how much energy it draws. The higher a boiler’s AFUE rating, the more efficient it is.
For a boiler to be called high efficiency, it must carry an AFUE of at least 90%. For basis of comparison, older systems carry an AFUE of about 70%, while mid-efficiency systems run at about 82%.
In addition, a high efficiency system has a second heat exchanger for capturing and condensing flue gases, as well as a closed combustion system.
These three things — an AFUE of 90% or above, condensing flue gases and closed combustion – define a high efficiency boiler.
The initial investment in a high efficiency boiler can be costly, but the savings over time in heating bills make it well worth the expense.
If you would like a high efficiency boiler installed in your Washington DC home, give Polar Bear a call today!