Read this before you buy a wood boiler in Wisconsin
The Econoburn is available with the H stamp, or ASME certification.
Just got this in from our Econoburn rep:
“I just got off the phone with Rick Merkle, Boiler Chief for the State of Wisconsin. He did verify that any pressurized boiler, regardless of installation location (indoor or outdoor), needs to have the {H}-Stamp and a National Board number.”
In case you’re not familiar with it, the H stamp he’s referring to is the mark indicating ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) certification. ASME certification is the gold standard for safety in pressurized boilers.
Econoburn is one of only two (as far as we know) gasification boilers available that are ASME certified. If you are currently running one that’s not, be warned: boilers not bearing the H stamp (presently including all foreign-built wood gasification boilers) can and will be shut down by the State of Wisconsin.
If you’d like to see an Econoburn boiler in person, please call us at 715-218-1373 and we’ll be happy to set up a viewing.
Tags: ASME, Econoburn, H stamp, Wisconsin, wood boiler, wood gasification, Wood heat
What the heck is R-Value, anyway?
When talking home performance, the issue of R value often comes up. Unfortunately, in many circles “R-Value” has not yet become a household word. I’ve found that many times even well-educated people stare at me going “Huh?” when I mention R value.
So what is R value?
Simple. R stands for “resistance.” R value is a measure of thermal resistance. Without getting technical, that means it’s a measure of how hard it is for heat to pass through a material.
Now here’s where it gets a little more complex. You can’t measure the resistance to flow. You can only measure the flow of heat. Heat flow is measured as U value. A U value of 1 equals 1 BTU per hour per square foot per degree of temperature differential.
“Now wait a minute,” I can hear you saying. “You just said R value is a measure of resistance. Then you said you can’t measure resistance. Now I’m really confused. What gives?”
Well, yeah. You can’t measure resistance. But when we’re talking insulation, we think in terms of resistance. Like, when we put on a pair of mittens it keeps the cold from getting through to our fingers. We want a number that reflects the way we think. So we make one up. Like this:
We take the U value (a measure of heat flow through a material) and take its reciprocal. And that’s the R value.
Fortunately, we don’t usually have to do the math. Most building materials are rated in R value, so that’s the only number most of us need to be aware of most of the time. The higher the R value, the better the insulator, and (at least in theory) the warmer it’ll keep our homes in winter, and more effective it’ll be in keeping cool air in when it’s hot out.
Here are some typical R values for some common building materials per inch of thickness:
- Poured concrete R-.08
- Brick R-.2
- Glass R-.24
- Wood- R-1
- Straw Bale R-1.45
- Fiberglass (loose fill) R-2.5
- Cellulose (loose fill) R-3
- Fiberglass (batts) R-3.1
- Cellulose (dense pack) R-3.5
- Pre-expanded foam insulation (InsulSmart or RetroFoam) R-4.6
- Polystyrene board R-5
- Expanding spray foam insulation R-5.5
- Foil-faced polyisocyanurate panel (new) R-6.8
Stay tuned for the exciting sequel as we reveal why R-value is not always to be trusted.
Tags: cellulose insulation, fiberglass insulation, foam insulation, home insulation, Home performance, insulation, InsulSmart, r value, RetroFoam, thermal resistance
Better Buildings Better Business
Just got back from attending the Energy Center of Wisconsin’s Better Buildings Better Business Conference Wisconsin Dells.
Boy was that place buzzing with great ideas! Just a quick wander through the trade show area was enough to make your head spin – and the gears inside that head start spinning with possibilities. To list just a few resource-saving innovations:
* The Green Switch, a brand-new device that saves you having to individually unplug or turn off all your power strips, appliances and lights when not in use in your most power-hungry rooms
* Structural Insulated Panels – basically big styrofoam sheets sandwiched between pressboard, which eliminate the need for studs. They’re supposed to result in leak-free constuction and result in a 50% more efficient building. It’s available in 4 thicknesses with R values from R-18 to R-40.
* The Solatube, a high-tech skylight that effectively brings daylight into hard-to-reach places
* Rain catchment and greywater recycling systems; super-efficient windows; a souped-up Prius (a plug-in hybrid equipped with lithium-ion batteries such as you’ll find in the newest power tools; it’s a fleet car owned by WPPI Energy; financing options for homeowners considering energy-efficient upgrades (more on this in future posts); and a whole lot more.
By the way, the Kalahari resort, where the conference took place, is home to Wisconsin’s largest solar thermal installation. We figure this impressive project is saving the Kalahari about $15,000 per year in water heating expenses. (The picture above shows just a few of the 104 panels in the installation.)
Better Buildings Conference
The Energy Center University’s Better Buildings Conference kicks off this Wednesday evening, March 4 at the Kalahari Resort with a welcome reception from 4-7 PM.
I’ll be missing the reception, but plan to dig in to the rest of the conference on Thursday and Friday.
The conference features practical, skills-based workshops and presentations on green building topics by nationally-recognized home building professionals. Presenters on the hot water front include Niels Wolter, Bobbi Fey and Kari Heinrich from Focus on Energy, Dan’s mentor Bob Ramlow from the Artha Sustainable Living Center LLC, Kurt Koepp from Hot Water Products, and others.
There will also be plenty of great information on other topics, ranging from zero-energy buildings to retrofitting older homes.
I’m looking forward to soaking it all up and meeting others in Wisconsin’s sustainable building community!
