Heating - Central Location for Heating Unit
Technology Snapshot & Benefits:
Combustion units for heating buildings may often be advantageously located
centrally within the floor plan of the building. Such placement offers extra
radiant heat recovery from a furnace or boiler proper and most importantly from
the entire length of the chimney as it progresses upward throughout the house. A centrally located chimney typically provides better
"draw," since the chimney
walls are not chilled by outside temperatures. This design is easy to
accomplish in new construction, and a bit more challenging, but still possible,
in existing structures.
Estimated Cost Savings:
Cold chimney walls inhibit the upward flow of exhaust gases. In practice, this
retarding effect is often overcome by furnace adjustments that send more heat up
the flue with an attendant loss in fuel, economic and environmental efficiency.
Locating a furnace or boiler centrally in the building may yield savings on the
order of 5-10%. For a monthly heating bill of $200 dollars, this
equates to an estimated savings of $10-20 per month. For a new building,
centrally locating the heating unit may incur no (or very low) additional costs,
yet the savings will be permanent. For an existing structure, moving a heating
unit to a central location is most cost-effective when the old unit reaches the
end of its useful life and it is time for replacement. If these alterations
cost $1,000, an improvement of this nature pays for itself over 9-10 years. At
the same time, monthly cash-flow improves immediately.
Issues:
Existing building architecture may inhibit centrally located combustion unit.
Wood-fired units may present a housekeeping challenge due to small bits of bark,
leaves and other debris often associated with the movement of wood fuels. Costs
to modify an existing structure may be prohibitive unless coupled with other
planned renovations.
Regional Issues:
The value of this modification depends upon the annual heating requirement of
your furnace or boiler.
The National Climatic Data Center provides an historical record of departures of average daily temperatures from a reference temperature
of 65 degrees F. This information is available as "Heating Degree-Days per
Year" and provides a very useful estimate of how often your heating plant will
run.
Installation (Getting It Done):
Masonry chimneys on outside walls are prohibitively costly to move unless
coupled with a planned renovation. An additional triple-walled chimney may be
used to advantage after checking with local fire codes.
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