jpage@rruxe.UUCP (J. H. Page) (12/18/85)
we have three zone hot water baseboard heat:(separate thermostats) zone 1 - in the LR, DR, Kitchen, hallway zone 2 - in the bedrooms zone 3 - in the finished basement we usually have zone 1 on during the day, zone 2 at night, and zone 3 whenever we are downstairs.(zone 1 and zone 2 are on the same floor) is there an easy way to figure out what the incremental costs of having a second(or third) zone on when one is already turned on. any and all "gut" feelings would be appreciated. thanks in advance, jim page
larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) (12/22/85)
> we have three zone hot water baseboard heat:(separate thermostats) > > zone 1 - in the LR, DR, Kitchen, hallway > zone 2 - in the bedrooms > zone 3 - in the finished basement > > we usually have zone 1 on during the day, zone 2 at night, and zone 3 > whenever we are downstairs.(zone 1 and zone 2 are on the same floor) > > is there an easy way to figure out what the incremental costs of having > a second(or third) zone on when one is already turned on. Well, the incremental cost of an additional zone is certainly less than that of the first zone turned on - which is running the boiler with the consequential energy "overhead" associated with the boiler operation. If I were to hazard a guess (I have a 3-zone gas-fired hot water system in my house), I would say that 60% of the energy consumed when running one zone is lost to the boiler and stack, with 40% going into the hot water circulation system. Assuming that your zones have approximately equal pipe length and radiating area, the incremental cost of a second zone in operation would be 40% of the first zone in operation. === Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York === === UUCP {decvax,dual,rocksanne,rocksvax,watmath}!sunybcs!kitty!larry === === VOICE 716/741-9185 {rice,shell}!baylor!/ === === FAX 716/741-9635 {G1, G2, G3} ihnp4!/ === === === === "Have you hugged your cat today?" ===