Find Out Everything About Boilers with These 6 Fun Facts

Most of the time in Texas, our biggest worry is beating the heat. But that doesn’t mean we don’t sometimes need to keep our buildings warm so we can stay comfortable!

One way of doing this is through the use of boilers. We’re going to lay out six quick facts to explain how boilers work.

It’s All About Heat

With the more common gas furnace, the gas is burned to heat up air, and that hot air is then pumped throughout a building, where it exits through vents to replace the cold air in a room.

With boilers, either gas or electricity is used to heat up water. That water is then pumped throughout a building where it reaches rooms and then “radiates” that heat, warming the air within the room itself, instead of replacing it.

No Need to Boil

Despite the name “boiler,” today’s boilers, for general consumer use, don’t usually need to bring water up to the actual boiling point.

This is still a requirement in some heavy duty industrial settings, but to keep your home warm, a temperature of about 140° is all that’s need to keep things livable and pleasant.

It Doesn’t Moisten the Air

Some people might worry that with a system using water, this will introduce humidity into the air. With a properly functioning boiler, this is not the case at all.

It is only the heat that is transmitted, the water itself is sealed away and never makes contact with the air.

Unlike gas burning furnaces, which dry out air, boilers neither moisten nor the dry the air in a building.

Pressure Needs To Be Right

Low water pressure is the enemy of good boilers. Just like with a good shower, you want the water pressure in a boiler to be steady, consistent, and not too low.

That way the hot water gets to the rooms it needs as quickly as possible, and, when cooled down, is also quickly moved out.

With low water pressure, heating takes longer, and it may even be a sign of a leak!

Cost Effective Heating

If the current heating system in your home is 20 years or older, getting a new boiler installed, while pricey upfront, will immediately bring down the bills you pay for heating.

As an bonus, this type of investment also adds value to a property, and can even boost resale appeal, as buyers love knowing a home has modern HVAC equipment in it.

Efficient Heating

Boilers are, in some ways, more efficient than gas furnaces. They don’t require homes have air ducts installed, instead using smaller pipes.

They are also much more consistent about heat delivery, since they heat the air in a room, rather than needing to constantly heat air, then deliver it to rooms.

And finally, they can heat individual rooms, rather than needing to heat an entire building, which can give you big savings if you don’t need every room in a building heated all the time due to usage or occupancy issues.

If you’re looking at getting an HVAC upgrade in San Antonio, TX look at all of your options, not just the expected the choice of a gas-burning furnace. You might find for your needs that a boiler is a better long-term investment for you and your home!