It’s cold again in Tucson. The coldest months of winter tend to bring about more service and repair calls, which often 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 get a closer look.
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 every room in a home.
Steam boilers
Think of boilers as a teapot. These systems boil water to create steam, which is directed to radiators all over 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 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 usually powered with natural gas or propane.
Hot water boilers
Hot water boilers work similarly, but circulate hot water all over your home instead of steam. When you boost the heat, water begins to warm up and is sent 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 usually utilized 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 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 give you a more comfortable and even heat. Another benefit is that boilers don’t blow air around, helping reduce the allergens in the air.
Selecting the right heating system for your home can be a tough decision. Although they can be more expensive than furnaces, boilers offer quieter and more even heating for your home. If you’d like to find out more about the high efficiency boilers available in Tucson, give Ambient Air a call at 520-357-4912.