Home Heating

How to Replace Your Old Heating System

Your choice of heating system affects your energy bill. If you need to replace an old or failing heating system, or are ready to upgrade, we recommend that you:

Get More Out of Your Energy Dollar

Simply purchasing new equipment doesn't give you the maximum savings from efficiency. Consider ENERGY STAR systems. The higher the AFUE the more efficient the system. See the difference in energy costs below (based on savings from natural gas boilers).

What is a Zoned HVAC System?

Zoned Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems use a network of thermostats that control temperatures in different areas of the house. System zoning allows you to save money by running temperature-controlled air to those rooms only when necessary.

Why Zones?

• Increase your comfort by regulating the temperature of individual rooms - different areas of a home have different temperature needs, depending on occupancy and use.
• Save money on your energy bills - by heating only the parts of the home that need it, instead of the whole house.

Adding zones when you need to update an old heating system can give additional energy savings. Ask a participating DCSEU contractor whether zoning is a good option to save energy in your home.

What is a Programmable Thermostat?

A programmable thermostat is a home heating control that can adjust the temperature of your home according to your preferences. You could be missing a great energy-saving opportunity if you are still using a manual thermostat. You can set a programmable thermostat to adjust your home’s temperature at times when you’re regularly away or sleeping, an easy way to save energy while staying comfortable at home.

Use a programmable thermostat to automatically warm up your house when you get up in the morning and when you come home at the end of the day. Contrary to popular belief, the energy used to get back up to a comfortable temperature does not exceed the energy you save while the thermostat is turned down.

Have a DCSEU participating contractor install a programmable thermostat and you could be saving up to $40 per year in energy costs, and be eligible for a rebate from the DCSEU.

If you have a thermostat provided by the Pepco Energy Wise Rewards^TM program, you are not eligible for this rebate. Visit the Pepco Energy Wise Rewards program website or call 1-866-353-5798 for more information.

What is an Outdoor Temperature Reset?

Outdoor reset controls are used on boilers to measure outside air temperature and adjust the water temperature of the boiler to the lowest possible setting to maintain the heat of the home. If you are upgrading to a new energy-efficient boiler, the unit will already be equipped with outdoor reset controls. For high-efficiency condensing boilers, outdoor reset is essential for maximizing energy efficiency.

For older boilers, adding outdoor reset controls is a good energy-saving action to take. This simple control technology lowers the boiler's water temperature when the outdoor temperature is warmer and increases the temperature when the outdoor temperature is colder.

Have your contractor install an outdoor temperature reset and you could be saving up to $55 per year in energy costs, and be eligible for a $250 rebate from the DCSEU.