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SUPER-SIZED

 

It seems as though consumables keep getting bigger, the bigger the better.  
 

According to the CDC, the typical drink size in 1950 was 7 ounces, now it is closer to 42. Large SUVs, 70-150 inch plasma televisions, and bigger, faster and taller roller coasters seem to be the new norm even in the midst of an uncertain economy. 
 

We all can agree that the new super-sizing of things have potentially negative impacts: unintentional damage to the environment, negative health outcomes, and an unfavorable dependency on resources such as oil. 
 

In this case, Gilberto Gonzalez a Northwest Indiana Community Action (NWICA) Building Analyst noticed a problem in the home of Ms. Dianne Fritz. Someone had “supersized’ her furnace which in turn, was supersizing her energy consumption and bill.
 

Ms. Fritz depended on NWICA’s Energy Assistance Program, she had very high utility bills and as an elderly Hoosier on a fixed income, she found the cost to be difficult to manage. Ms. Fritz did not know why her home was so expensive to heat; she just thought it was normal.
 

Upon inspection of the home, Mr. Gonzalez found that Ms. Fritz’s furnace was tremendously over-sized, super-sized if you will… 

The 100btu furnace was 70% efficient. This means that while Ms. Fritz was heating her home, up to 30% (or let’s say 30 cents on the dollar) was traveling up the chimney and outside! Super-sized furnaces, like Ms. Fritz’s, pose a few other problems such as frequently cycling on and off- which sends even more heat up and out with no benefit to the consumer. Additionally, the initial investment for a large furnace is usually much higher than the cost of purchasing a smaller unit.
 

Ms. Fritz furnace was eventually replaced due to a cracked heat exchanger, a potentially dangerous situation, with a 46k btu 2 pipe furnace which was 95% efficient. Now, instead of 30 cents on the dollar making its way outside, only 5 cents was escaping.

Along with the other great Mechanical and Shell Retrofits, the Weatherization Team significantly reduced the energy consumption and improved the health and safety of Ms. Fritz’s home. 
 

When the work was completed and Mr. Gonzalez returned to the home for a final inspection, Ms. Fritz had this to say, “I have been helping people all my life. It is amazing to me that someone would complete (weatherization) work like this for me. Thank you NWICA.” Source: community action  assoc.