Warming Up to New Ideas

Options for Efficient Heating in the Hudson Valley

by Kelley Granger, August 26, 2008

After a season of record prices at gas pumps, there is one phrase that is a common denominator of concern as the region faces the winter season—heating efficiency. Homeowners will be looking to meet their heating needs in the most cost-effective, comfortable, and environmentally conscious ways possible. More than ever, businesses, organizations and individuals throughout the Hudson Valley are instituting a variety of systems and techniques to see that this is done. Chronogram spoke to some of the local pioneers of these  alternatives to garner their efficient home heating suggestions.

BIODIESEL: ANOTHER KIND OF TANK FULL
If you have an oil burner that is serviced yearly by a heating professional, it’s pretty simple to get started replacing a percentage of costly oil with biodiesel—potentially saving gallons of fossil fuel and a lot of money. Jerry Robock, a former oil company employee who is now the president of Community BioFuels in Westchester, says that everything depends on the furnace you have, though a technician will usually only have to change the nozzle size and increase the pump pressure to accommodate the difference in viscosity to begin using biodiesel. There are, however, other considerations that are best discussed with a fuel service provider or biofuel expert.

Biodiesel, a renewable fuel made from new or used natural oils, acts as a solvent—so homeowners will want to start with around 5 to 20 percent biofuel (which would be referred to as B5 or B20), and increase the ratio of biofuel to traditional fuel from there, Robock says. This will gradually clean out the tank and help avoid clogs. “When you first use biodiesel in a car or furnace it will clean the system out by attracting and dissolving any sediment that might be in your tank,” he says. “So the first year you need to make sure you get an extra filter cause it will get clogged with all the stuff that’s cleaning your system out. The good news is that your system is now optimized, but you have to be aware initially and take care to make sure that you don’t have any problems.”

Robock also says that outdoor tanks can cause issues. “If you have an outdoor tank and you go to a higher percentage of biodiesel your fuel may gel, and you won’t have fuel,” he says. “So there’s things you have to be aware of if you want to switch.” Robock uses an in-ground tank, which regulates the temperature of the oils and prevents gelling. Outdoor tanks also carry the possibility of sucking in moist air that can lead to algae or fungus growth in the fuel, which will clog filters and have to be remedied by a technician.

Biodiesel offers an array of benefits, from its low toxicity to its domestic production, but if it’s purchased from a home heating oil company, it can often cost more than traditional fuel alone. “My recommendation is for people to call home heating oil and ask if they offer bioheat, and if not ask why not,” he says. “Unfortunately the price of bioheat is almost always more. Especially now with $4 a gallon prices—it’s already astronomical, why pay an extra 10 cents? Most heating companies aren’t offering it because there’s not a market for it.”