What is a boiler?

January 20, 2015

The harshest months of winter Phoenix usually find us with more service and repair calls, some of which result in homeowners discovering they need new heating systems. You can find an array of home heating products on the market, from furnaces to boilers. Many people don’t know a lot about boilers. If you’re one of them, we can tell you what you need to know.

Types of boilers

Boilers are available in both steam and hot water models. Both provide heat throughout a home by means of either a radiant system that uses a boiler to heat water, or through forced air heating systems.

Steam boilers

Steam boilers are kind of like big kettles. They boil water until the steam builds to create enough pressure to push heat to radiators throughout your home. The heat is released into your rooms by air moving across the radiators. The cycle continues when the steam then cools and condenses to water, which then goes back to the boiler to be reheated. Steam boilers are generally fueled with natural gas or propane.

Hot water boilers

Like steam boilers, hot water boilers move warmth around your home, but with hot water instead of steam. When the water heats up to your desired temperature, it is pushed through the radiant system. Gas is usually used to power water boilers, however, you will find oil-fired boilers in New England and the Northeast United States.

Benefits of boilers for home heating

A lot of people are partial to boilers because of their extremely quiet operation. In fact, it’s hard to hear a boiler operating at all unless it needs repair. They are also known for delivering comfortable and even heat because of the design of the system with pipes installed behind the walls or under the floors. Boilers can also provide relief, in non-forced air heating systems, to allergy suffers because they don’t blow air around and spread allergens.

Even though they can be pricier than furnaces, a lot of people find that boilers are a great heating system for them. If you want more information about high-efficiency boilers in Phoenix, look to Integrity AC & Heating LLC. Call us at 602-971-0567 or schedule an appointment with us online.