8 Ways to Save Gas Costs

1. CLEAN YOUR BURNERS

  • Clean off any soot, debris and dust.
  • Be aware of any “baked-on” condensation. Condensation will appear as a white residue and will affect the performance of your burners.
  • NOTE: if you notice residue, then refer to number 2 regarding your heat exchanger.

2. CLEAN YOUR HEAT EXCHANGER

  • Inspect your heat exchanger.
  • If necessary, scrub off any residue and discoloration build-up with a wire brush or scrub brush. Build-up can affect airflow up through your boiler causing sooting problems.
  • In some cases the inside of the heat exchange tubes may need cleaning due to hard water scale build-up. Scale build-up constricts water flow and hinders the ability of the water to be heated. (Contact Carwash Boilers for special cleaning tools).
  • A proper performing heat exchanger should maintain a shiny copper appearance and maintain a free flow of water for optimal efficiency.

3. DO NOT TURN DOWN YOUR BOILER’S WATER TEMPERATURE

  • If you have a Non-Condensing Atmospheric Boiler, you must maintain a minimum of 105 to 120 degree temperature returning to the inlet side of your boiler.
  • By turning down your thermostat, you may spend more money on repairs.
  • If you desire lower temperature wash water, Carwash Boilers recommends you install a simple downstream mixing valve.

4. MONITOR YOUR DE-ICING SYSTEM SET POINTS

  • Do you leave your boiler set for your coldest days even though your coldest days only occur sporadically throughout the winter? You don’t need as many BTUs on a 30-degree day as you would on a 5-degree day.
  • Your boiler may be set up differently, set up incorrectly, or may be oversized for your application. Why waste gas and money? Contact Carwash Boilers or your distributor today before making any adjustments or purchasing decisions.

5. DO A COMBUSTION ANALYSIS

  • Performing a combustion analysis is important to find out your boiler’s thermal efficiency and performance.
  • Too much combustion indicates the burners are not performing properly.
  • The flame should appear mostly blue. Contact Carwash Boilers today for combustion analyzer rental.

6. SHOP AROUND FOR GAS RATES

  • You may have the option to use the gas supplier of your choice.
  • Carwash Boilers suggests you shop around for the best gas rates. Every year.

7. YOUR BOILER MAY BE OVERSIZED IF IT’S MORE THAN 15 YEARS OLD

  • Your boiler may have been over-engineered or over-compensated for your car wash application.
  • Boiler installations 20 years ago may not apply with today’s technology. Depending on where you’re located in the country, your floor heat boiler should be sized from 90 to 120 BTUs per square foot.
  • If you’re heating 2000 square feet and have more than a 300,000 BTU boiler, your floor heat boiler is too big! In addition, have you stopped heating as much water as you did 15 years ago?
  • To correct these issues, install a high efficiency boiler or water heater.

8. INSTALL A HIGH EFFICIENCY BOILER

  • A high efficiency boiler is 98.6% efficient. Units can modulate down to 20% of its full fire input automatically.
  • High efficiency boilers monitor your de-icing system set points automatically.
  • In contrast, your existing unit is full fire continuously whereas a high efficiency boiler automatically modulates fire output for better efficiency and lower operating costs.
  • High efficiency boilers also incorporate high-tech, “smart” digital technology with continuous monitoring for optimal performance.