bmccabe
New Member
Some context...I buy and renovate houses in the urban northeast. While their condition at purchase ranges from okay to not so hot, they are usually structurally sound. That said, they almost never have adequate insulation...if they have any at all...and building envelops offer little in the way of a thermal barrier. Of considerable importance is the fact that apartments in these houses often rent to Section 8 tenants.
As a landlord I can opt to pay utilities or have the tenant pay, the difference being the amount of rent money I receive from the local housing authority (more if I pay). In either case, the amount of money earmarked for utilities is not sufficient to cover today's wildly inflated gas and electric costs. Now, to the heart of the matter.
I am in the midst of rehabbing a three family house in Newark, NJ. It needs a completely new heating system...actually three systems...and I have opted to go with direct vent, gas-fired boilers feeding hot water baseboard registers, one boiler for each floor. Hot water will be provided by three, 199k btu, tankless water heaters. My goal is to make this house as green and as energy efficient as possible, while being mindful of a tight budget, in order to reduce utility costs. The reason is that even though the rent might be paid by the housing authority, astronomical heating bills will make the house unaffordable for the tenant or a losing proposition for me, depending upon who is paying the utility costs. So, here is what I am wrestling with: given the fact that it is economically unfeasible to seal and insulate the entire building envelope is there a benefit to paying the premium for high efficiency boilers (90% or greater) or would I be better off with lower efficiency (low 80s) while investing the price difference in more insulation (but still not the whole building)?
In advance, thank you for any guidance you can provide. The efficiency of heating systems in affordable housing is an issue that will take on increasingly more importance as time goes on.
Brian McCabe
As a landlord I can opt to pay utilities or have the tenant pay, the difference being the amount of rent money I receive from the local housing authority (more if I pay). In either case, the amount of money earmarked for utilities is not sufficient to cover today's wildly inflated gas and electric costs. Now, to the heart of the matter.
I am in the midst of rehabbing a three family house in Newark, NJ. It needs a completely new heating system...actually three systems...and I have opted to go with direct vent, gas-fired boilers feeding hot water baseboard registers, one boiler for each floor. Hot water will be provided by three, 199k btu, tankless water heaters. My goal is to make this house as green and as energy efficient as possible, while being mindful of a tight budget, in order to reduce utility costs. The reason is that even though the rent might be paid by the housing authority, astronomical heating bills will make the house unaffordable for the tenant or a losing proposition for me, depending upon who is paying the utility costs. So, here is what I am wrestling with: given the fact that it is economically unfeasible to seal and insulate the entire building envelope is there a benefit to paying the premium for high efficiency boilers (90% or greater) or would I be better off with lower efficiency (low 80s) while investing the price difference in more insulation (but still not the whole building)?
In advance, thank you for any guidance you can provide. The efficiency of heating systems in affordable housing is an issue that will take on increasingly more importance as time goes on.
Brian McCabe