Equipment Operation and Efficiency: Small Business Operations

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 inch of scale increases fuel consumption by as much as 7 percent.

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 percent 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 percent 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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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 LED lamps with equivalent lumens. Some ENERGY STAR bulbs use 75 percent 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.

Consider implementing a “group-relamping” program for each area or room of the building. Group relamping schedules the replacement of lamps at their maximum economic value, saving time and money when compared to changing bulbs as they fail. Group relamping also allows for cleaning the fixture reflectors at the same time, providing more light in the room for the same energy input.

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

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

Install faucet aerators and low-flow shower heads. They may reduce your hot water consumption by half.

If main water heaters are a long distance from the point of use, consider using smaller, instantaneous water heaters near the point of use. Make sure these units are sized properly to ensure sufficient hot water.

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.

An Energy Management System can reduce energy usage 10 to 30 percent. 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 percent. Likewise, periodically inspect ducts to verify that all insulation is intact and adequate. A tight and well insulated duct system can easily prevent 20 to 25 percent energy waste.

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

Pre-season start-up inspections of  air conditioning systems can help to identify many of the maintenance needs, left if neglected, result in an 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.

Electric motors are the prime electrical energy consumer in a ventilation system. If a replacement is required, consider the purchase of a premium efficiency-rated motor. It can save up to 8 percent energy compared to a standard motor. For belt driven applications, only install “cogged” or “synchronous” belts operating with reduced slippage to save additional electrical energy.

Certain communication equipment may not need to operate around the clock. If possible, automatically turn off all non-vital communication equipment after hours.

By plugging non-vital communication equipment into power strips, it makes it easier to turn them all off when not in use. Use of plug-in timers to automatically turn communication equipment off is also an option.

Heat loss resulting from loose or corroded electrical connections can also mean reduced operating efficiency. These conditions can also lead to arcing or a fire. An infrared survey of the electrical system and key electronics, including communication equipment should be performed at least every three years.

Repairing leaks and recharging refrigeration unit coolant will help restore the system to its design rating. This can improve efficiency by as much as 15 percent.

Obstructed condenser coils may reduce cooling capacity by 7 percent, while increasing power consumption by 10 percent. Layers of dirt, dust, cobwebs and fluff on condenser coils can reduce the amount of heat that the refrigerator or freezer can transfer to the interior of the unit. Evaporator coils should be clean and free of ice build-up.

Ice is an insulator. In refrigerators and freezers an ice build-up greater than 4 or 5 millimeters can reduce efficiency. Make sure cyclic defrost model refrigerators and freezers remain frost-free by regularly defrosting any ice build-up on the evaporator.

Range hoods and exhaust fans that are free of grease and residue can work more efficiently, and will reduce cooking odors. Clean filters and duct work reduce the likelihood of an exhaust hood fire.

Only operate your hood fans when the stoves are in use. The hood fan draws large volumes of room air that has been air-conditioned or heated and exhausts it outside. Unnecessary operation of your hood fan can send energy bills through the roof.

When possible, delay turning on appliances such as ovens, vent hoods, warmers, and mixers until you need to use them. You can reduce your energy consumption by as much as 60 percent by reducing the amount of operating time of the appliances in your kitchen.

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. Likewise, turn off lights.

By plugging office equipment into power strips, it 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 of plug-in timers to automatically turn printers, copiers, and simialr machines off is also an option

Heat loss resulting from loose or corroded electrical connections can also mean reduced operating efficiency. These conditions can also lead to arcing or a fire. An infrared survey of the electrical system should be performed at least every three years

For refrigerators, water coolers, and freezers maintain an air-gap of at least 3 inches between the back of the appliance and the wall. Also,clean condenser coils regularly.