What is a boiler?

January 20, 2015

It’s cold again in Lake Worth. The frostiest months of winter can 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 keep your home warm. What’s a boiler you ask? Let’s explore.

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 each room in a home.

Steam boilers

You could compare steam boilers to a teapot. These systems boil water to generate steam, which is sent to radiators around your home. Producing more steam amplifies 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 heads back to the boiler to be reheated. Steam boilers are typically powered with natural gas or propane.

Hot water boilers

Hot water boilers work similarly, but circulate hot water throughout 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 met your desired temperature. Water boilers may be fueled using either oil or gas, however, oil fired boilers are not traditionally used outside of New England and the Northeast U.S.

Benefits of heating your home with a boiler

Boilers are known for their almost soundless operation. In fact, you most likely 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 give you a more comfortable and even heat. Another bonus is that boilers don’t blow air around, helping lessen the allergens in the air.

Choosing the right heating system for your home can be a hard 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 Lake Worth, give Smyth Air Conditioning Inc a call at 561-533-6066 .