It’s winter again in Cache Valley. The frostiest months of winter seem 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 heat your home. What’s a boiler you ask? Let’s take a look.

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 all of the rooms in a home.

Steam Models

Think of boilers as a teapot. These systems boil water to generate steam, which is transported to radiators throughout your home. Generating more steam increases the pressure in the system and pushes the steam throughout the system. Radiators have air vents that open to let off the pressure – and the heat – into your rooms. The steam then cools, condenses to water and returns to the boiler to be reheated. Steam boilers are typically powered with natural gas or propane.

Hot Water Boilers

Hot water boilers run similarly but circulate hot water around 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 met 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 Getting Heat from a Boiler

Boilers are known for their virtually soundless operation. In fact, you probably won’t hear a boiler running at all unless there’s an issue 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 lessen the allergens in the air.

Choosing the right heating system for your home can be a tough decision. Although they may 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 Cache Valley, give Western Mechanical, Inc. a call at 435-753-5515.