
                        ******* HEATLOSS  1.0 *******

         
INTRODUCTION

HEATLOSS.EXE calculates the cost-benefit of seven home heating energy 
conservation measures. The input is a series of 17 survey questions and the
output is an ascii file named PRINTOUT.TXT. 

When the program is run (by typing HEATLOSS) a screen is presented with 
six questions. The default answers are displayed. The answer to any question 
can be changed by typing the question number and the new answer separated
by a space, and then hitting <Enter>. The screen will be redisplayed with
the updated answers. When all the answers are correct, type C <enter> to
go to the next screen. There are three screens of questions. When the third
screen is completed the calculations are made and the output file is written.


INPUTS

1.      Daytime temperature is the daytime setting of the thermostat 
        in degrees Fahrenheit. Centigrade can be converted to Fahrenheit
        by multiplying by 1.8 and adding 32. This input is used to adjust
        the actual heating degree-days. The ideal value is 65 degrees.

2.      Nighttime temperature is the sleeptime setting of the thermostat.
        This is used to calculate a reduction of the total usage if the
        night thermostat setting is lower than the day setting. The ideal
        value is 55 degrees.

3.      Attic insulation is entered in equivalent inches of fiberglass. 
        This assumes the fiberglass has an English R value of 3.16 per
        inch. So 6 inches is R19 and 12 inches is R38. The ideal value
        varies with location and is given in PRINTOUT.TXT.

4.      Wall insulation is also entered as equivalent fiberglass inches.
        The ideal value is 3 inches.

5.      Percent of all windows that are well-sealed with at least two
        panes of glass or the equivalent. The ideal value is 99%.
        
6.      The number of closed, unheated rooms is multiplied by 120 square      
        feet and subtracted from the heated square feet total.

7.      The heating fuel type is used to adjust the cost of energy and
        the efficiency of the furnace.

8.      The furnace type is used in the efficiency estimation.

9.      The furnace age is also used in the efficiency estimation.

10.     If there has been no recent tune-up then the furnace efficiency 
        is reduced by 10%.

11.     The drafts answer is used to adjust the infiltration rate. 
        Infiltration is a primary source of loss in many structures
        and sealing and weatherstripping is one of the easiest retrofits 
        to perform. 

12.     Window coverage and is used to estimate the area of single-pane and
        double pane windows. 

13.     Heated square feet is used to calculate areas and volumes of the
        various components of the structure.

14.     The wall material establishes a baseline wall thermal resistance.

15.     Floor insulation, if absent, triggers an evaluation of the floor
        loss based on average ground temperatures. The ideal calculation
        assumes 6 inches of insulation.

16.     The story height is the number of heated stories. This is used
        with other inputs to find various areas and volumes. A half
        story is a heated area with at least some of the walls slanted
        to follow the roof line.

17.     Heating zone determines the degree-days, the solar radiation and
        the average winter ground temperatures. Select the state or portion
        of state that is closest to where you live.


CALCULATIONS

The program calculates the losses due to each of seven factors for the actual
structure and then recalculates using ideal values. The calculations are 
based, in part, on formulas developed at Brookhaven National Laboratories.
These formulas can be found in ENERGY CONSERVATION STANDARDS FOR BUILDING
DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND OPERATION by Fred S. Dubin, McGraw-Hill, 1978.

Other information came from the free DOE information fact sheet
(D.O.E./CE-0180) which can be obtained by writing to:

        U. S. Department of Energy
        Technical Information Center
        P. O. Box 62
        Oak Ridge, TN 37830

This pamphlet also contains numerous other addresses to write to for more
information.              


OUTPUT

The top section of PRINTOUT.TXT is an echo of your survey inputs.

Next, a table is given of the ideal and actual losses in kilojoules per
season in several areas. These will not add since the effects of setback 
gain and furnace efficiency are included in the total. If you need to do 
some calculations a Therm (for gas) is 1.055E5 Kj, and a Kwh is 3600 Kj.

A recommendation for retrofit or action is then given for each area that 
returns the original cost within 15 years.  The difference in energy 
use is divided by the total use to provide a percent improvement that 
can be expected. A dollar cost estimate and the energy cost are used 
to predict a simple payback period (no interest).


ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Further improvements can be realized by several other retrofits:

Seal all fireplaces. Operating fireplaces can be sealed by making a custom
fit wood panel that goes over the front.

Stuff fiberglass into the space between the bottom of the first floor and
the top of the foundation around the edges of the basement.

Add a water heater insulating "blanket". This will save about $20 per year.

Insulate and seal any ductwork in unheated areas.

Add a automatic stack damper for heavy convection furnaces (with gas pilots)
that tend to stay warm after the burner is off.

Close and seal an unused room.



Go to the public library and borrow some books on do-it-yourself insulation 
retrofits to find out more. Many articles can also be found on the subject.
Write to the above USDOE address for free information. Call your local 
utility for their literature on the subject.


AIR CONDITIONING

If there is central air conditioning then most of the heating energy 
conservation improvements will give an additional cost-benefit in the 
summer. Proper attic ventilation above the insulation layer is important 
in winter to prevent moisture build-up which will damage the structure 
and the insulation. In the summer the attic ventilation should be 
increased by opening windows, if possible, to prevent excessive temperatures.


FURNACE REPLACEMENT

If an older gas pilot convection furnace is replaced with a forced-air
unit there will be a reduction in the energy usage due to the increased
efficiency and the electronic ignition. This may be a good option at the
next major repair of the existing furnace.

A more efficient furnace will heat the basement less, and adding floor
insulation in conjunction with the furnace change will enhance the benefits.

Forced-air furnaces are noisier than convection units, and some duct systems
may amplify this noise unacceptably. A possible remedy is to wrap the ducts
with insulation to control the sound. This will also improve efficiency.


USE OF THE HEATLOSS PROGRAM

The heatloss program is free for personal uses if downloaded from a bbs. 
A written agreement is required if used for profit, for commercial use, 
or with non-bbs distribution. If you find this program useful please send 
any comments, suggestions for improvement, and questions to:

William Snyder 
3 Rundel Park
Rochester, NY 14607

wcs2227@borg.cis.rit.edu




