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Energy Efficient Upgrade - Mechanical SystemsOne of the best
ways to make your home more comfortable, healthier and less expensive to operate
is to upgrade the heating, cooling and ventilation systems. Energy efficient
equipment upgrades can be expensive, but can be offset by lower operating costs. Before you
decide to upgrade mechanical equipment, it’s also critical to understand how
the overall performance of the house will be affected. Keep in mind that your
lifestyle, the number of occupants, their age, the climate and the insulation
levels of the house all have an impact on the performance of mechanical systems.
This type of upgrade will require professionals to do it right and to avoid
causing other problems in the house. It’s important to weigh the benefits
against the costs.
Common SituationsAll equipment
has an optimal life span. Older furnaces and boilers may need replacing simply
because they have outlived their useful life, or because they may not have been
regularly serviced. If you have
noticed a sudden change in fuel bills, it may be because you have started using
the house differently — perhaps the temperature settings have been increased
because a new child has entered your life or an elderly person has moved in. Older homes
often have areas that are cold because of poorly laid out heating and mechanical
systems. Perhaps you are
undertaking other renovation work that requires some adjustments to your present
mechanical systems. In this case, you can also consider upgrading your
mechanical equipment to take advantage of new, more efficient products. This may
also be an opportunity to install a proper ventilation system where one does not
exist. It is important
to note that mechanical systems must not change the balance between the air
pressure inside and outside the house — since high pressure differences can
lead to combustion spillage problems from furnaces, hot water heaters or
fireplaces. If there are no fuel burning appliances of any kind in the house,
then this is not a significant issue. Healthy HousingRenovating is an
ideal time to make your house healthier for you, the community and the
environment. When assessing your renovation project, be sure to consider the
five essentials of Healthy
Housing. House as a SystemA house is much
more than just four walls and a roof — it’s an interactive system made up of
many components including the basic structure, heating, ventilating and air
conditioning (HVAC) equipment, the external environment and the occupants. Each
component influences the performance of the entire system. A renovation provides
an opportunity to improve how your house performs. Energy efficient
mechanical systems such as gas furnaces, usually have a sealed combustion
chamber that isolates the flue gases from the house. Direct vent gas fireplaces
can be a decorative heat source too, while not compromising the indoor air
quality. New appliances may require special provisions for make-up air if the
combustion appliances are not the “sealed combustion” or “induced draft”
type. Avoid SurprisesKnowing the
properties and operating characteristics of your heating system will help you to
determine the changes you may want to consider. You will want to hire a
professional heating contractor to make changes in the mechanical systems.
Thinking about what changes you’d like to make or anticipating problems ahead
of time will help the heating contractor address the shortcomings of your
home’s system. Here are some of the likely situations that people encounter.
Use the Mechanical Systems Assessment Worksheet to record the present condition, any problems with your mechanical system and preliminary costing.
Costing Your ProjectCost of
mechanical system upgrades will depend on the work that needs to be done. When
reviewing bids from contractors, make sure that the quotes you are comparing are
for the same work, including the same or truly equivalent equipment. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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