How To Improve Heating Efficiency In Your Facility

Temperatures have started to plummet and it’s looking like we are in for a cold winter. Is your facility ready to manage that heat? To help navigate you through these winter months, we’ve come up with a list of things to think about. Above all, this will hopefully give you some good ideas on how to improve heating efficiency in your facility this winter.

1. Start By Examining Your System

It’s a no-brainer that checking your heating systems during the cold months is a top priority. This will help your facility reduce heating costs and run more efficiently. To keep your facility prepared for winter, you must inspect your heating systems regularly. Start by using maintenance checklists to plan the maintenance tasks you should be completing on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis.

Then examine your heating system’s components:

Air & Boiler Components 
Examine flues for carbon buildup
Analyze combustion to make sure flames burn efficiently
Check safeties to ensure they’re working properly
Look for cracks in the heat exchangers
Remove and clean burners
Boiler Components 
Look over the water pressure gauges to see if calibration is in sync
Clean boiler tubes
Check expansion tanks for proper air cushion and to see if they’re flooded

By checking each component, you’ll be able to ensure each function or part is working properly. If you need assistance, call your trusted mechanical services provider.

2. OPTIMIZE OUTSIDE AIRFLOW

Most buildings bring in more cold air than needed, costing valuable energy to heat up the outside air in the winter. Reduce outside airflow rates to the minimum allowed by ASHRAE for each space. Reducing this airflow will yield significant savings!

Also consider the amount of frigid outdoor air that is being brought into the building and heated while no one is in the building! Installing CO2 sensors in return air ductwork and maintaining interior CO2 levels will yield serious savings and comfort. Talk to a Temperature Control specialist today to see if your building is running at efficient outside air temperature.

3. HOW’S THE TEMPERATURE?

The optimal thermostat set point for the winter months is 68º Fahrenheit. Be sure to install tamper-proof thermostats to prevent unauthorized individuals from adjusting temperatures. Without these, the utility costs will rise as people manually raise and lower temperatures throughout the day.

When spaces are going to be unoccupied for an extended period of time, you should adjust your thermostat again. For intermediate times that range from an hour to a few days, temperatures between 62-66° Fahrenheit are suitable. When buildings lack occupants for a few weeks to a month, temperatures as low as 58° Fahrenheit are suitable.

4. REVIEW YOUR BUILDING ENVELOPE

One of the only things that can protect you against a severe cold is a tightly sealed building. Look for defects in your building’s envelope. For instance, aging seals, missing insulation, or gaps in windows and doors can wreak havoc on what would otherwise be an efficient facility.

Caulking and weather-stripping are great for sealing problem areas and can have a massive impact on your facilities efficiency.

5. HEAT RECOVERY VENTILATOR

This can help lower energy costs and decrease demand on your equipment. By recovering the residual heat in the exhausted gas, the fresh air introduced into the system is preheated.

6. PERFORM SEASONAL TASKS

Complete each task under the “Winter” header on our do-it-yourself seasonal tasks. This will ensure that your facility, as a whole, is operating as efficiently as possible during this chilly season. This list includes simple (but often forgotten) tasks such as replacing air filters and cleaning supply and return registers. By checking these mundane items off of the checklist, you will prevent potential build-up blockages and improve efficiency, air quality, and airflow.

7. OPTIMIZE HEATING TIMES

Set your building controls, smart thermostat or manually raise the facility temperatures back to the determined baseline at least 15 minutes before occupancy. This will allow the room time to come back to a comfortable temperature. The thermostat can be adjusted back down to the determined resting temperature roughly 15 minutes before staff leaves the building.

[Looking to control your heating costs? Check out our Temperature Control Brochure to learn how you can optimize your facility for energy efficiency!] 

Spaces that aren’t occupied often don’t need to be heated to typical standards. Therefore, evaluate your building to see where occupancy will be low in the winter months. Reduce heat in these specific areas.

Have Questions On How To Improve Heating Efficiency In Your Facility?

We can help with that! Our skilled technicians are available 24/7 to help you every step of the way. In addition, if you need an installation, repair, or upgrade, our service team has the knowledge and expertise to help. Above all, we will do what we can to help ensure your system is as efficient as possible this winter. 

Reach out to the experts at Rasmussen Mechanical Services and ensure your system is running the way it should. Call us at 1-800-237-3141, email sales@rasmech.comchat with a support agent, or contact us online.