How to Calculate Hot Water Boiler Efficiency
In the Decade of Green, more people than ever are rightfully concerned about the efficiency of every appliance and energy consumer in their house. Heating and cooling usually makes a large portion of the average homeowner's gas, electric, oil or propane bills. To approach the questions of replacement and energy usage, a quick division problem can give some idea of the efficiency of the heating appliance.
True efficiency is influenced by the condition and adjustment of the burner assembly, the gas pressure before and after the gas valve, the chemical makeup of the fuel, the cleanliness of the nozzles on an oil-fired unit, the condition of the heat exchanger and the proper ventilation of the unit. This basic calculation estimates manufactured design efficiency, not unit-specific real-time efficiency.
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Instructions
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The Calculation
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1
Find the data plate on the boiler. Typically, these are under the inspection cover in close proximity to the gas valve.
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2
Write down the make, model, serial number, input BTUs and output BTUs.
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3
Divide the output BTUs by the input BTUs and multiply by 100. Now you have a rough idea of efficiency based on manufacturer's specifications.
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Tips & Warnings
To maintain the manufacturer's estimated design efficiency have the boiler checked and serviced annually.
Ensure that the proper ventilation, burner assembly operation is clean and combustion air are checked at the same time as the annual service.
Another great method is to utilize the Hydronics Institute's automatic look-up for third-party ratings of most boilers in use in the residential environment.
All heating devices that use some form of burned fuel have the potential to produce carbon monoxide and must be checked regularly to ensure that poisonous gases are not being produced, which would endanger the occupants of the building.
