What is a boiler?

It’s cold again in Abilene. The iciest 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 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 takes 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

You could compare steam boilers to a teapot. These systems boil water to make steam, which is directed to radiators around 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 let off 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 all over your home instead of steam. When you boost the heat, water begins to warm up and is transported 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 traditionally utilized outside of New England and the Northeast U.S.

Benefits of heating your home with a boiler

Boilers are known for their virtually soundless operation. In fact, you probably won’t hear a boiler running 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 offer 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 difficult decision. Although they can 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 Abilene, give Abilene Air-Tech Inc a call at (325) 692-5850.