If you haven’t already turned on your heater this season, you will be soon! But is your heating system strong and efficient enough to heat your home this winter season without any problems? If your heater has some age on it, you may be considering a new system altogether.
There are many types of heaters from heat pumps to furnaces and even boilers. If you’re not familiar with how a boiler works, keep reading to learn more about this type of heating system. Then give us a call for your boiler installation when you’re ready.
How Do Boilers Work?
Many residential heaters distribute air by pushing it through air vents and into your home. This type of system is often called a forced air heating system. But a boiler works differently. Instead of ducts, a boiler has a network of water pipes that are installed under the floors or inside the walls of your home. A boiler uses hot water to heat the air in your home instead of heating air and then blowing it in through vents.
A boiler may also have radiators strategically placed to help heat particular areas a little more than others. Just like a forced air system, a boiler is connected to a thermostat. The thermostat reads the indoor air temperature and signals for your boiler to begin heating up. Hot water pumps through the pipes in the home so that heat radiates out from the floor and up into the room. Because of this technique boilers are also called radiant heaters.
Benefits of Heating with Boilers
Boilers offer a variety of benefits when it comes to heating your home. Perhaps the most desirable benefit is that a boiler is extremely energy efficient compared to other heating alternatives. Water is a better thermal channel than air is. Water holds and maintains heat better, so it can sustain heat in your home for longer without using more energy.
A boiler system also makes your home warm more evenly than a forced air system does. Many forced air systems have ductwork that is in the attic and vents in the ceiling. Heat rises, so instead of heating your entire home, a forced air system may pool heat up high without distributing it lower. Plus, you have less chance of a hot or cold spot in your home that just doesn’t heat as well as other areas. A boiler distributes heat from the ground up, so the heat has a better chance to heat your entire room.
Since they are more energy efficient, you can save money on your monthly energy bills. Keep in mind that a boiler can cost more up front, although you can save over the life of the system. A small amount each month may not seem like a lot, but the savings can add up over the life of your heating system. Since a boiler can be gas or electric, you can definitely find a boiler system that fits your needs based on your existing energy source.
Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning is your trusted resource for Chicagoland area home services. Contact us today!