| A high efficiency boiler has the job of applying | | | | consumption. |
| heat to water and making steam. The primary | | | | Some concerns exist among professionals |
| function of a boiler system is to extract the | | | | concerning corrosive issues within the heat |
| latent heat of water and utilize its energy to | | | | exchangers in these systems. The technology for |
| produce heat for a home or building. The | | | | a high efficiency boiler is evolving rapidly, however. |
| technology originates from ancient times and has | | | | The use of aluminum materials has gone a long |
| seen entire ages evolve since its inception. How it | | | | way toward resolving many of these issues in |
| applies to heating systems is our focus here. A | | | | modern designs. New designs have created a life |
| conventional boiler burns fuel to heat water and | | | | expectancy for residential applications of four to |
| utilizes the hot gases. Fuel is burned, hot gasses | | | | six decades. |
| pass through a heat exchanger, and most of the | | | | Condensation is produced during normal operation |
| heat is transferred to water. The raised water | | | | with these systems and must be expelled. This is |
| temperature produces steam and a condensing | | | | accomplished by connecting the system to a drain |
| boiler will condense the steam back into water | | | | using inexpensive polymer pipe. The condensed |
| and extracts the additional heat thus recovering | | | | liquid that is produced is acidic with a pH around 3 |
| the latent heat from the water and creating | | | | or 4, but your average hardware store variety |
| efficiency. Today's systems are manufactured to | | | | PCV will be adequate. The drain need only be |
| be highly efficient and compact, making them an | | | | made of a short length of pipe and should include |
| economical option for meeting residential and | | | | a vapor trap to prevent exhaust gasses from |
| commercial heating needs. | | | | being expelled into the building. The relevant parts |
| Earlier conventional designs are being replaced by | | | | of the boiler must be constructed of materials |
| high efficiency boilers in domestic central heating | | | | that can withstand this acidity. Aluminum and |
| systems throughout the world. The increase in | | | | stainless steel is used extensively as well as |
| fuel costs has encouraged the retrofit of many | | | | modern PCV materials in the design of today's |
| existing boiler installations to accommodate new | | | | high efficiency boiler. The exhaust's low |
| high efficiency boiler systems. Manufacturers claim | | | | temperatures require that a fan be included in the |
| up to 98% thermal efficiency. In the US, Federal | | | | system to expel the gases from the unit to |
| and State tax rebates for the installation of these | | | | outside the structure. Allowing the use of low- |
| boilers apply in some cases. A system will lose a | | | | temperature PVC gives the additional benefit of |
| certain amount of efficiency when installed in a | | | | easy exhausting. It is no longer necessary to use |
| home for a variety of reasons concerning the | | | | conventional masonry chimneys for venting. |
| home's design features, implementation and other | | | | Polymer venting allows for the added benefit in |
| factors as well. Better education for installers and | | | | the flexibility for retrofitting applications also. The |
| home owners will raise the efficiency of these | | | | most modern designs include a drain-free system |
| units by enabling proper application and use. This | | | | which eliminates the need for a drain pipe, thus |
| will enable higher efficiencies and lower fuel | | | | making them even more economical and efficient. |