It’s winter again in Cambridge. The frostiest months of winter can bring about more service and repair calls, which often results in the need for new heating systems. From furnaces to boilers, there are a variety of products on the market that will keep your home warm. 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 each room in a home.
Steam boilers
You could compare steam boilers to a teapot. These systems boil water to create steam, which is transported to radiators throughout your home. Generating more steam increases the pressure in the system and pushes the steam throughout the system. Radiators have air vents that open to release the pressure – and the heat – into your rooms. The steam then cools, condenses to water and returns 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 throughout your home instead of steam. When you increase the heat, water begins to warm up and is transported through the radiant system when it has met your perfect temperature. Water boilers can be fueled using either oil or gas, however, oil fired boilers are not traditionally found 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 probably won’t hear a boiler working 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.
Selecting 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 hear more about the high efficiency boilers available in Cambridge, give Pliescott HVAC Services LLC a call at 410-228-4822.