Optimised heat production is not only a question of the installed technology but also of the fuel used.. Selecting fuel sources is more complicated than simply selecting the source with the lowest price. Nowadays, fuel selection involves environmental considerations, primarily air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions. It also affects the costs associated with efficiency and maintenance requirements of your energy-using equipment.

Day to day activities

Field Inspection Check List

• Insulation of the pipes
• Pipe leakages
• Insulation of the equipment
• Boilers
• Burners

Recommendations, advice and tips

• Carry out general maintenance checks once a year :
  • Boiler : Conduct combustion efficiency test at full- and part-load firing
    rates
  • Heat exchanger : after cleaning, the efficiency of the equipment might
    increase by up to 50%
  • Burner : Check four times per year, with the change of seasons. (A
    change in weather results in a change in combustion) A dirty burner
    causes improper operation which is less safe and less efficient.

• If your boiler is over ten years old you will benefit from replacing it with a modern, high efficiency boiler, but consider at this moment also :
  • Upon exchange of boilers, always check the real heat demand of the
    building ; boiler output must be sized accordingly
  • If boilers are still up-to-date, they may be upgraded with EE burners
    (modulated flame type)
  • The most efficient type of boiler is a condensing one. By extracting more heat from the gas, they can cut your fuel bills by up to 30%. Condensing boilers are highly efficient boilers that have much lower fuel and running costs than conventional boilers. In a system with several boilers, the base load should be met using a condensing boiler
  • Installation of a cogeneration unit to produce heat and power – the
    efficiency is up to 95% and production loses are only between 5 and 12%
  • Change of the fuel towards biomass (or gas)

• Change from electricity to gas or wood depending on your geographical location
• Installation of automatic controls to an existing boiler to improve the operation – it is not very expensive but may reduce consistently heat losses ; be sure boiler, burner and control chain (particularly when existing) are adequate to it. Generally new energy efficient boilers are sold with integrated heat controller