It’s winter again in West Jefferson. The frostiest months of winter seem to bring about more service and repair calls, which often results in the need for new heating systems. From furnaces to boilers, there are a number of products on the market that will heat your home. What’s a boiler you ask? Let’s take a look.
Types of boilers
A boiler is a type of HVAC equipment used to heat your home, and it utilizes either steam or hot water to do so. Both use a boiler to heat the water and a radiant system to provide heat to every room in a home.
Steam boilers
Picture a boiler as a teapot. These systems boil water to generate steam, which is transported to radiators throughout your home. Creating more steam increases the pressure in the system and pushes the steam throughout the system. Radiators have air vents that open to relieve the pressure – and the heat – into your rooms. The steam then cools, condenses to water and heads back to the boiler to be reheated. Steam boilers are primarily powered with natural gas or propane.
Hot water boilers
Hot water boilers operate similarly, but circulate hot water around your home instead of steam. When you increase the heat, water begins to warm up and is pumped through the radiant system when it has achieved your desired temperature. Water boilers can be fueled using either oil or gas, however, oil fired boilers are not commonly used outside of New England and the Northeast U.S.
Benefits of heating your home with a boiler
Boilers are known for their nearly soundless operation. In fact, you most likely won’t hear a boiler running at all unless there’s an issue with the system. And, because radiant systems use pipes that are installed in the walls or floor, boilers can provide a more comfortable and even heat. Another benefit is that boilers don’t blow air around, helping decrease the allergens in the air.
Picking the right heating system for your home can be a hard decision. Although they may be more expensive than furnaces, boilers offer quieter and more even heating for your home. If you’d like to find out more about the high efficiency boilers available in West Jefferson, give West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc. a call at 614-879-9091.