Can Boilers Be Used for HVAC?

It’s cold again in Wilmington. The coldest months of winter seem to bring about more service and repair calls, which usually 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.

There Are Different Kinds 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

Think of boilers as a teapot. These systems boil water to generate steam, which is directed to radiators throughout your home. Generating 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 work similarly but circulate hot water throughout your home instead of steam. When you turn up the heat, water begins to warm up and is pumped through the radiant system when it has achieved your perfect 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 Heating Your Home with a Boiler

Boilers are known for their almost soundless operation. In fact, you more than 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 provide a more comfortable and even heat. Another perk is that boilers don’t blow air around, helping reduce the allergens in the air.

Picking the right heating system for your home can be a hard decision. Although they are often 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 Wilmington, give Ambience HVAC, Inc. a call at 302-239-HVAC (4822).