Energy-efficient heating

For your home

4320

11/

14

Pug

et S

ound

Ene

rgy

P.O

. Box

970

34B

elle

vue,

WA

980

09-9

734

pse.

com

/myr

ebat

es

About Puget Sound EnergyPuget Sound Energy is Washington state’s oldest local energy company. We serve 1.1 million electric customers and more than 760,000 natural gas customers in 10 counties. For more information, visit pse.com. Also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

2

In this guide

4 Get the right heat system for your home

5 Natural gas

5 Heat pumps

6 Gas furnaces

7 Forced air systems

8 Ductless heat pumps

9 Other space heating options

10 Energy vocabulary and other resources

11 Tips to lower your heating bill

3

Tip

ENERGY STAR ® is a labeling program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that identifies energy-efficient products. Qualified products exceed minimum standards for energy consumption. The most efficient gas heating products proudly display the ENERGY STAR logo.

Get the right heat system for your homeDid you know you could heat your home with electric, gas, or renewable energy sources? It’s true! And because each type of energy has unique benefits and fluctuating pricing, it’s important to weigh your options. Get your heating system in top shape with PSE starting with these tips:

• Heating your home can account for up to 50 percent of your energy bill. Replacing an inefficient system can increase the comfort of your home and save you money each winter

• Historically, natural gas furnaces and heat pumps are less expensive than using other sources of energy. Check out energy-efficient products for your home heating needs

• Proper sizing of heating units has an important impact on your heating system performance and efficiency

• Remember to look for PSE rebates on the most efficient models to maximize savings

Read on for even more ways to save.

54

Natural gas

Natural gas is the fuel for an efficient future. That’s why PSE recommends using it for home, space and water heating. Using natural gas limits our dependency on fossil fuels, which means less impact on the environment. Compared to wood fireplaces, natural gas fireplaces produce much less carbon monoxide and emissions, making your home safer and more comfortable. When natural gas service is not available, PSE recommends high-efficiency, air-source heat pumps.

Heat pumps A ductless heat pump is a highly efficient heating and cooling system that’s easily installed as a heat source for electrically heated homes. These units meet all of your heating needs until the temperature outside drops below 30 degrees, after which your furnace turns on.

To get started, you’ll want to choose an approved PSE contractor to measure walls, ceilings, floor space and windows. A good estimate will also include a duct work inspection and will recommend proper sizing of your heat pump.

PSE customer Jeanne Carras — Thurston County

Forced air systemsNatural gas forced-air furnaces are the most common type of heating systems in the Northwest— more than 45 percent of the homes in our region use them. While product efficiency levels are nearly identical, when compared to an electric forced-air furnace, natural gas forced-air furnaces are affordable: the higher cost of electricity versus natural gas makes electric furnaces more expensive.

Heat Pumps

Heat pumps are two to three times more efficient than an electric furnace and work by circulating heat from the outside air and transferring it to your home; for cooling, the process is reversed. These efficient systems can provide all of home heating needs up to the point when the outside air temperature drops below a set temperature. After that, the forced-air back-up heat source make up the difference between what the heat pump provides and what your home needs to maintain comfort levels.

PSE may have rebates available for ENERGY STAR qualified natural gas furnaces and electric high-efficiency, air-source heat pumps. Call a PSE Energy Advisor at 1-800-562-1482 or visit pse.com/rebates for more information.

Tip

6 7

Tip

Ask your contractor to use a correct sizing calculation before signing a contract. A key to getting the best efficiencies from a heating system is appropriate equipment sizing and duct performance. For heating recommendations, check out Manual J, “Residential Load Calculation,” published by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA).

Gas furnacesBefore the era of well-constructed homes, gas furnaces were often two to four times the necessary capacity. This can create large temperature swings in your home and reduces the life expectancy of the equipment.

New efficient furnaces can save you money on monthly heating costs, reduce heat loss in the winter, make your home more comfortable, and reduce energy waste. If you’ve added new windows, caulking, weather-stripping and insulation to your home, or haven’t replaced the furnace since moving in, it may be time to install a new system to better fit your home.

PSE customers the Heises — Snohomish County

PSE customers the Heises — Snohomish County

8 9

Other space heating systemsElectric resistance heating such as baseboards and electric wall units are some of the most common types of radiant heating systems, used in 22 percent of Northwest households. These units are very inexpensive to install but are costly to operate and do not maintain a constant temperature. For a more affordable option, consider a high-efficiency ductless heat pump.

Hydronic systems use hot water circulated through wall or floor pipes to heat your home. These systems heat space uniformly and can be quite efficient: the home remains warm and comfortable without using much energy. ENERGY STAR qualified systems have efficiency ratings of over 85 percent.

Natural gas fireplaces include fans to move warmed air throughout a room; proper use as a supplemental heat source may result in big energy savings. For safety and indoor moisture control, these heaters should use outside air for combustion and ventilation. Look for units labeled “heat rated” for optimal efficiency.

Wood fireplaces, stoves and pellet stoves are common in older homes; newer fireplaces typically have a low efficiency rating of six to seven percent. Use caution when installing, operating and cleaning a wood stove and chimney. The fireplace should have a BTU (British Thermal Unit) rating that matches the space you are heating, along with a “heat rating” —the higher the number to more fuel efficient. Pellet stoves can be a higher efficiency, more convenient option to a wood stove. For information on the environmental impacts of wood burning equipment visit the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency at pscleanair.org.

Caution

If an unvented fossil-fuel space heater is needed in an emergency, use only fuel-burning equipment designed to operate indoors. Install a carbon monoxide detector near sleeping areas in your home for safety.

Ductless heat pumpsA ductless heat pump is an efficient zonal heating and cooling system that does not require the use of air ducts. They use an outdoor compressor unit mounted at the base of the house and one or more indoor units, called “heads.” Indoor heads are typically mounted high on a wall; each indoor head corresponds with a heating and cooling zone that can by be controlled independently, which means unused rooms can be kept cooler to save energy.

When having a new heat pump installed, make sure your contractor shows you the AHRI certificate of Certified Performance to ensure appropriate performance and system match — check ahridirectory.org for details.

Tip

To avoid “voltage flicker,” which may impact your power quality, you should talk to a contractor or call 1-888-321-7779 to check if the transformer and electric service is properly sized. Voltage flicker must remain within permissible limits as required by the Washington Administrative Code (WAC 480-100-373) and homeowners could potentially incur additional costs to accommodate their new equipment.

PSE customers Leah Schlegel and Hallie Hemmingson — Whatcom County

10 11

Low cost, no cost tips to lower your heating billHeating represents the largest energy usage for most homes. Check out these tips to reduce your overall energy consumption and save you money!

• Save around 10 percent a year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat down when convenient. Use a programmable ENERGY STAR set-back thermostat to do this automatically.

• Make sure that your home has appropriate levels of attic, floor and wall insulation, proper venting and vapor barriers in place, and ductwork is properly insulated and sealed for maximum efficiency.

• Are you getting the most out of each energy dollar and your heating system? A heating tune-up can help!

• If you have baseboard heaters, turn the thermostat off in unoccupied rooms and close the door.

• Clean or replace your furnace filters regularly throughout the heating season. Proper airflow is important to the performance of your heating system. Replace filters as needed.

• Keep furniture, rugs and curtains away from duct registers, electric baseboard, wall heaters, and return air grills to promote good airflow and increase safety

• Never use an oven or range burners to heat a kitchen.

The location of your thermostat can affect its performance and efficiency. Place thermostats away from direct sunlight, drafts, doorways, skylights and windows.

Up your energy efficiency vocabularyAnnual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) refers to the amount of heat that is captured for use in the home. For example, in an 80 percent efficient natural gas furnace, only 80 percent of the heat created is used.

Heating Season Performance Factor (HSPF) is a calculation of heating efficiency comparing watts of power consumed versus BTU of heat produced; the higher the rating, the greater the efficiency and cost-savings.

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) is an air conditioning calculation of cooling efficiency comparing watts of power consumed as compared to BTU of cooling produced.

Contractors and more resourcesWhether you are upgrading or installing new equipment, your heating system is a vital part of the structure of your home, so it’s important for the work to be done by skilled professionals. When choosing contractors, make sure they are licensed, insured and bonded. They should have a strong understanding of energy codes and recommend energy-efficient equipment where applicable. They should also secure all necessary permits, which ensures that the equipment is installed in accordance with energy and mechanical codes.

For even more information, visit:

energystar.gov

energy.gov

ahridirectory.org

goingductless.com

PSE customer Leslie Shahan — Thurston County