Top Ten Tips: Heating Systems

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Winter is just around the corner—and with the coolest months of the year almost here, it’s time to make heating a top priority by implementing operational changes. Not only could you be making significant energy cuts and improving occupant comfort, but you could be saving money too!

Here are our top ten ways to save money during the heating season:

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  1. Know how much energy your building uses. Make sure someone is tracking your building’s energy and water use regularly. Tracking your utility data allows you to compare, or benchmark, your building’s energy and water use with previous years as well as with other, similar buildings. If your heating costs are higher than expected, take action to reduce costs.

  2. Require staff to test and maintain the heating system on a regular schedule. Whether your building is equipped with a boiler, steam system or hydronic (hot water) steam system, test and check all components. Pro tip: Take pictures of the building on a cold day to see what windows are open to identify which apartments may be overheated. Adding orifice plates to radiators in overheated apartments is a simple solution that can prevent steam from escaping into rooms.  

  3. Prepare for major equipment replacements. Boilers last between 20 and 30 years depending on maintenance practices; plan its replacement ahead of time. When you are ready for replacement, hiring a well-trained boiler contractor to appropriately size your replacement will save money. Most steam boilers are oversized—sometimes twice as big as they need to be!

  4. Upgrade the boiler control system. Boiler control is more efficient if based on indoor, not outdoor, temperatures. Consider an Energy Management System (EMS) with interior temperature sensors, which can achieve a 10 to 15 percent savings from current heating costs.

  5. Check the temperature of hot water. Overheated water is dangerous and wasteful—water at the faucet should be 130 degrees Fahrenheit at the faucet furthest from the boiler and NEVER be above 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

  6. Insulate all pipes. Insulate steam and hot water pipes to avoid wasting the heat you are paying to produce. Do this when walls are open for other reasons. While you’re insulating pipes, also insulate cold water pipes to prevent damage from condensation. 

  7. Replace appliances with ENERGY STAR. Replacing a refrigerator that’s over 13 years old will save you at least $360 per refrigerator in energy costs over five years.  

  8. Find and correct water leaks. Plumbing leaks can cause structural damage, mold, and destroy the aesthetics of your building. It’s money down the drain! The top two culprits of interior water damage are leaking toilets and dripping faucets. Check your water bills each month and look for increases in consumption, which may indicate a leak.

  9. Get an Energy Audit and follow the auditor’s recommendations. An Energy Audit will suggest both operational and capital improvements to reduce energy use and save money. The best thing is there is no guessing involved—the report will explain which improvements will save the most money.

  10. Train your staff. If any of the above tips are beyond the range of your operations or management staff, it may be time to provide training in efficient building operations. Sign up for a GPRO course or contact gpro@urbangreencouncil.org for a private onsite class.