Equipment Operation and Efficiency: Dry Cleaning

Monitor the boiler-water quality. Boiler waterside scale acts as an insulator thereby preventing heat transfer from the fire to waterside. As little as 1/32 inches of scale increases fuel consumption by as much as 7%.

Products of combustion on the boiler’s fireside surfaces adversely affect the unit’s efficiency and can result in higher fuel costs. Heavy deposits may increase fuel costs by 5% or more. A properly tuned burner will help minimize soot, improving overall efficiency.

Monitoring stack temperature helps identify adverse trends. Typically a 40° F increase in stack temperature (all other conditions being equal) correlates to a 1% drop in efficiency and a corresponding increase in fuel consumption.

Boilers that cycle on and off excessively are energy wasters. Stored energy in the boiler is lost up the stack during purge cycles before and after firing. Check pressure control set points, or if multiple boilers are used, review the sequence of operation.

Leaking steam traps waste a lot of energy. Repairing the trap will help decrease fuel consumption. Leaking steam traps also waste water and result in additional water treatment expenses.

Lack of insulation usually results in lost energy, an increase in the boiler load, and higher fuel usage. Don’t forget the insulation after repairs are made.

Periodically check your steam and air distribution piping for leaks. Even small leaks can result in higher energy costs.

Supply your compressors with the coolest, driest air possible. This will reduce the cost of compressing air and allow your equipment to run cooler. Consider supplying outside air to your compressors if the equipment room air is warmer or contains more moisture than outdoor air.

Filter driers ensure the compressed air supplied to your equipment is dry and free of contaminants. Dirty filters reduce air flow and increase energy costs. Service your filters regularly.

Change the oil in your compressor as recommended by the manufacturer. This allows your compressor to run at peak efficiency and ensures long equipment life.

Operating your system above the recommended pressure increases your energy costs. Monitor and adjust the pressure of your system to make sure you are operating at the optimum pressure.

Replace fluorescent T-12 fixtures/lamps (1.5” diameter) with T-8 fluorescent fixtures/lamps (1” diameter). T-8 lamps typically use 40% fewer watts and produce 40% less heat. This is important in warmer months when air conditioning is needed.

Turn off lights when not in use or when natural daylight can be used. Install occupancy sensor controls in places where lights are often left on, but the space is unoccupied.

Replace all remaining incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) or light emitting diode (LED) lamps with equivalent lumens. Some ENERGY STAR® bulbs use 75% less energy, and save about $6 per bulb per year.

Don’t forget about the exterior site lighting. These fixtures are higher wattage compared to interior fixtures. Many exterior lamps are 400 watts each or higher. Make sure parking lot and building perimeter lighting are controlled properly using astronomical time-clocks or photocells. This will prevent energy waste from turning site lighting on too early as the seasons change.

Make sure all emergency exit signs use Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lights. Many older exit signs consume over 350 kilowatt-hours (kWh) and cost $28 each year to operate. LED exit signs use approximately 44 kWh of electricity annually, costing less than $4 a year to operate.

Inspect all hot water lines and tanks to be sure that they are insulated.

System water leaks mean lost energy. This can result in higher energy, water usage and costs. Repair leaks and save money.

If you have an electric water heater, install a timer that automatically turns the hot water off at night and on in the morning. A simple timer can pay for itself in less than a year.

Drain a quart of water from your hot water tank every three months to remove sediment that prevents heat transfer and lowers the unit’s efficiency.

Gas fired hot water heaters should be inspected and serviced periodically to ensure optimum performance. A poorly performing burner could cost you hundreds of dollars per year in fuel costs.

An energy management system can reduce energy usage 10% to 30%. This reduction is achieved by limiting air conditioning operation during unoccupied hours.

Repairing leaks and recharging the air conditioning coolant will help restore the system to its design rating. This can improve efficiency by as much as 15%.

Unitary systems operating with dirty or blocked coils may reduce cooling capacity by 7% and increase power consumption by 10%. Keep these coils clean, well maintained and free of dust and contamination.

Pre-season start up inspections of unitary air conditioning systems can help to identify many of the maintenance needs, which if neglected, result in increased electrical energy usage. This can also minimize unscheduled repairs during the cooling season.

Aging air conditioning units become expensive to maintain and operate. Newer designs, with improved SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) ratings, can deliver the same amount of cool air using considerably less electrical energy.

When installing new air conditioning equipment, it is always sound engineering practice to have qualified heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) design firms verify that units are neither over or undersized. Oversized units can result in a frequent on-and-off cycling, increasing the energy usage over time.

Check and replace lint filters frequently. Clogged filters can extend the cleaning cycle, requiring more energy for each load of garments.

Consider switching to professional wet cleaning to reduce your energy bill. Studies show that professional wet cleaning can reduce electrical usage by as much as two thirds.

Run full loads whenever possible. The energy cost per pound of garments is optimal at full load conditions.

A properly operating chiller system will reduce the load cycle time, saving energy in the process.

Whenever possible, shut equipment down during breaks, lunch and downtime. This will save energy by reducing steam, electricity, compressed air and hot water usage.

Operate your finishing machines at the recommended temperature. Higher temperature settings will result in higher energy costs.

Computers and other electronic equipment use electricity around the clock, even when not in use. Encourage employees to turn off all office equipment after hours and on weekends. Turn off lights, computers, monitors, printers and copiers at the end of each working day and ensure they’re not just in sleep mode.

Help reduce phantom loads by plugging office equipment into power strips. This makes it easier to turn them all off when not in use. Better yet, purchase a smart power strip, which senses when a product is not in use and eliminates its standby power consumption.

Screen savers save computer screens, not energy. Your monitor uses almost full power when the screen saver appears. Automatic switching to sleep mode or manually turning monitors off is always the better energy-saving strategy.

Use plug-in timers to automatically turn printers, copiers, and fax machines off at the power source.

Heat loss resulting from loose or corroded electrical connections can also mean reduced operating efficiency and corresponding increased energy costs. These conditions can lead to a breakdown, failure, or even cause a fire. An infrared survey of the entire electrical system should be performed at least every three years.