It’s cold again in Philadelphia. The frostiest months of winter tend to bring about more service and repair calls, which sometimes results in the need for new heating systems. From furnaces to boilers, there are various products on the market that will heat your home. What’s a boiler you ask? Let’s explore.
There Are Different Kinds 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 all of the rooms in a home.
Steam Models
Think of boilers as a teapot. These systems boil water to generate steam, which is sent to radiators throughout your home. Creating more steam heightens 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 typically powered with natural gas or propane.
Hot Water Boilers
Hot water boilers run similarly but circulate hot water around your home instead of steam. When you increase the heat, water begins to warm up and is sent through the radiant system when it has reached your chosen 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 Using a Boiler
Boilers are known for their nearly soundless operation. In fact, you most likely won’t hear a boiler working at all unless there’s something wrong with the system. And, because radiant systems use pipes that are installed in the walls or floor, boilers can give you a more comfortable and even heat. Another perk is that boilers don’t blow air around, helping lessen 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 learn more about the high-efficiency boilers available in Philadelphia, give Retro HVAC Service & Installation a call at 267-277-3851.