Welcome to High Effiency Condensing Boilers

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Condensing Boiler

Super High Efficiency Condensing Boiler

A condensing boiler is a furnace or boiler that is super efficient and therefore fuel- and money-saving.  Condensing boilers are designed to capture and reuse energy that conventional furnaces and boilers discharge.  The name “Condensing Boiler” describes what these systems do: literally condensing the water vapor produced by the conventional consumption of gas or oil in the boiler or furnace.  The heat involved in the vaporization process can be used to heat your home.

As of 2012, condensing boilers sales are rising at a fast pace.  Homeowners are looking for simple and easy alternatives to conventional heating, cooling, and power systems and while the use of full renewable energy systems such as solar and wind power are not yet mainstream, super high efficiency systems that can be easily installed and run on conventional fuel are becoming more popular. You’ve come to the right place to learn more about these green alternative energy systems!  Thank you for visiting and learning more about condensing boilers!

Next time you look at your furnace chimney, realize that your current conventional boiler is losing valuable heat and energy each time it is used, and imagine a system that, instead of allowing this heated air to escape, would put it to good use.

Condensing boilers are based on a remarkably simple concept, and are an elegant yet powerful solution for those who want to get more energy efficiency out of their home energy system.

Reasons Behind the Name…

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The reason for the name “Condensing Boiler” is that it literally condenses the water vapor produced by the conventional consumption of gas or oil in the boiler or furnace back into water. The latent heat involved in the vaporization of the water ends up becoming useful in heating your home.

As of 2012, condensing boilers are now replacing “conventional” systems in Europe at a fast pace due to their elegant simplicity. While the Netherlands led the way, now other nations, particularly those with aggressive “green” goals, have also joined the rush toward the use of condensing boiler technology. In the United States there has been a more recent serious look at condensing boilers on a large scale, not so much because of government subsidies but because gas and oil prices have skyrocketed.

Right now, condensing boilers are up to 50% more expensive to buy and install than conventional types of oil and gas furnaces and boilers. While state and federal grants and rebates might help offset that additional money, the real savings is on the ongoing fuel bill, where the extra cost could be recovered in about 2-5 years at US 2008 oil and gas prices.

It’s a fact that after a relatively short period of time, your condensing boiler will be saving you money each and every day you heat your home – and the name will make it simple and easy to explain things to your friends and neighbors so they can benefit!

Cost Recovery and Condensing Boiler Systems

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A common question that people have about condensing boilers, and about alternative energy for the home in general, is what the cost of buying an installing a unit will be, and how long until energy savings will pay for any increased cost. For condensing boilers, both answers are quite favorable.

Condensing boilers cost around $3,000 in the U.S., depending on how many square feet your home is and how much energy production you need.  This is about $1000 more than you would likely pay for a conventional boiler that is high quality and energy-efficient.  Installation of a condensing boiler is about $500 more than installation of a conventional boiler system.

So, after buying and installing a condensing boiler, you have paid out $1500 dollars more than you would have for a conventional system.  How long until you recoup this cost and your condensing boiler system is now saving you money on your energy bills?  For an average home, a condensing boiler will save around $40-$70 per month.  Thus you should have paid back the extra cost in about two to four years, depending on the exact cost of fuel.

Given that condensing boilers will likely last between 15-25 years, you will find that these systems offer substantial money savings, while also decreasing your energy use.  Once again, condensing boilers may be one of the most available and effective alternative home energy producers available today.

Condensing Boilers: Size matters…a lot

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Condensing boiler are not always able to operate in the condensing mode that provides maximum fuel savings and efficiency.  And if they are not condensing they are no better than a conventional boiler.  Yet when they are in fact in condensing mode, these boilers can save you an incredible amount on your fuel bills.  So what is the difference and how do you ensure that your new system will be optimal for your needs?

Basically you need to be sure that your condensing boiler is the optimal size for your home.  If it is too small, the water being returned will be too hot and only a fraction can be condensed.  If it is too big, the water being returned will be optimal but you will be paying to operate too large a system and that costs money.  The system needs to be just right, and this is the most important consideration when choosing this alternative energy system

Specifically, the optimal water temperature on return is around 60˚F, which can lead to a condensing rate of over 90 percent.  This is only possible with the most effective design and appropriate size.  Only a seasoned condensing boiler installer can ensure you have the perfect boiler for your home, one that will appropriately respond to seasonal changes that affect how hard the condensing boiler has to work.  These home alternative energy systems are incredibly efficient but unlike some other types of energy systems, you cannot easily just choose a large system and expect optimal results.

Our Pages about Condensing Boilers

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We have decided that two topics deserve more information and attention than a single post would capture, and these two topics also may have considerable changes that warrant updates.  So for this reason we have started two new pages:

1. Cost Recover Time and Condensing Boilers: Are you wondering what the payoff will be for your investment in a home condensing boiler?  Do you want to estimate how long it will take until you’ve paid off the initial added cost and are making money on your high-efficiency condensing boiler system?  This new page about cost recovery will help.

2. More Information about Condensing Boilers: Are you looking to find more information about condensing boilers, particularly new innovations about this alternative high-efficiency system?  Do you want to educate yourself more fully before calling an installer or distributor of condensing boilers?   Our page with more information will help

On this front page we will continue to bring you information and advice that is on the cutting edge regarding condensing boiler buying, installation, and maintenance, but you may also find these other pages helpful as well.

The Efficiency of Condensing Boilers

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Condensing Boilers have been known to be so efficient that they are one of the only home boiler with efficiency ratings in the high 90%s.  Some have argued with that figure, which is most often quoted by manufacturers and dealers of condensing boilers, but then even the critics admit that these alternative home energy systems do have around 90% efficiency which is still both incredibly impressive and much higher than traditional boilers.  In the US, Condensing Boilers have no trouble receiving the much coveted Eco Logo and Energy Star certifications.

The amazing thing about the efficiency of Condensing Boilers is that the technology could even be improved!  Two advances, one involving the temperature of water that is returned to the system and the other having to do with the separation of home heating and hot water heating systems could improve on this already super high efficiency.

It should be noted, to be fair, that the Condensing Boiler efficiency ratings quoted here relate to after start-up efficiency – in other words, the boiler must reach a certain temperature before condensing can take place.  The efficiency, then, of condensing boilers while they are getting warm is not that much better than conventional systems.  That cycle is relatively short, so it does not hold back the entire system from achieving a 90%+ efficiency rating even when start up is averaged in.

Parts of a Condensing Boiler System

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Condensing Boilers are actually quite simple in design and operation. They are an alternative home energy innovation that seem so logical its a wonder they had not been invented earlier!  While they do cost more to install (see our page about cost recovery and condensing boilers) they are built to last and very simple to maintain.

Here is a listing of some of the parts of a condensing boiler:

  • Aluminium/Silicon Heat Exchangers are a core part of a condensing boiler system – what makes them tick
  • Circulating Pump are doing the important work that creates the super high efficiency of these systems - returning energy back into the condensing boiler system that conventional systems lose
  • A Pressure Gauge makes sure everything is running as it should be since a balanced pressure in the system is vital for its most efficient operation
  • An Automatic Air Vent to releases the newly recycled air into the home heating system, boosting its effectiveness and efficiency
  • The Diverter Valve works along with the air vent to send the hot air to your home heating system
  • A Central Heating Temperature Control ensure your house is exactly the temperature you want – condensing boilers are so efficient that the hot air produced could make things too warm without this control.
  • Hot Water Temperature Control keeps your hot water at a perfect temperature while also keeping your condensing boiler working optimally

These are the main parts of a condensing boiler – and you can see how nice these systems are in their simplicity. The technology behind this alternative home energy system is fascinating and effective.