It’s that time of year again in Moline. 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 a variety of 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 uses 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 throughout your home. Producing 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 goes to the boiler to be reheated. Steam boilers are usually powered with natural gas or propane.
Hot water boilers
Hot water boilers run similarly, but circulate hot water all over your home instead of steam. When you increase the heat, water begins to warm up and is pumped through the radiant system when it has reached your desired temperature. Water boilers may 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 most likely won’t hear a boiler operating at all unless there’s a problem 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.
Picking 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 Moline, give J.L. Brady Company LLC a call at 309-517-7511.