Why You Need Electronic Tank Monitors and Extreme Cold Weather

Written by guest blogger, Gary Sippin, VP of Sippin Energy Products and existing GREMLIN® user

Many energy marketers have experienced an alarming number of run outs, many that came unexpectedly, and not necessarily because they were behind on deliveries. Many marketers simply scratched their heads and chalked it up to some unknown degree-day forecasting anomaly. The reality is that many households in cold climates do not have heating systems that achieve design standard requirements. For instance, in the state of Connecticut, it is recommended that homes be equipped with 10° – 70° design temperature heating systems. This means that at 10°F, the home will consistently maintain 70°F indoors. As a measure of safety, most responsible HVAC installers will install systems that will go at least an additional 10° to 15° colder.  For a system to run efficiently at 0°, or subzero temperatures both the heating system and the method for distributing heat (baseboard, duct distribution, radiant, etc.), Must be properly sized for the home and must be matched accurately to the calculated heat load of that home.

So what happens to homes that do not have proper design systems installed?

In these cases, the heating system will run nonstop, while never achieving the desired temperature setting. This, in turn, invalidates the standard degree day/K factor calculation. The only way these types of homes can be accurately forecasted for fuel deliveries is by using an electronic gauge.