When shopping for a boiler you’ll want to understand the differences between boilers and furnaces. Both are responsible for keeping your home warm during cold weather, but they accomplish this through different means. Furnaces warm the home with heated air that is distributed through ductwork, but boilers work by heating steam or water that is distributed to radiators or other systems that utilize its radiant heat to warm your home.
Furnaces and boilers are similar in the method in which they create heat to warm air and water respectively, so they have similar energy efficiency concerns. Both are available in models that use gas- or oil-fueled combustion to create heat or as models that generate it with electrical heating elements. They also have similar lifespans and can be expected to last 15 to 30 years.
Efficiency is an important consideration when buying a boiler because it has a major effect on how much you will have to spend on energy bills. The electrical models are the most energy efficient, but electrical rates in most areas are much higher than those for oil or natural gas, so they are generally the most expensive option. The gas- and oil-fueled models are less efficient because they create gases that need to be exhausted, so some of the heat necessarily escapes with them.
Efficiency is measured by the annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating. Older boilers were less than 70 percent efficient, but new high-efficiency models have new features that have enabled them to achieve efficiencies in excess of 98 percent. Some of these features include electric ignition instead of a standing pilot light and a second heat exchanger that extracts latent heat from the exhaust gases through condensation.
Even if your boiler is energy efficient, it’s still possible your home won’t be efficiently heated if it’s not properly insulated and sealed against air leaks. These issues should be dealt with before getting a new boiler because this may allow you to purchase a smaller unit, which is cheaper.
For help buying a boiler in Tampa, Clearwater or surrounding areas, contact us at Cox Air Conditioning & Heating.
When shopping for a boiler you’ll want to understand the differences between boilers and furnaces. Both are responsible for keeping your home warm during cold weather, but they accomplish this through different means. Furnaces warm the home with heated air that is distributed through ductwork, but boilers work by heating steam or water that is distributed to radiators or other systems that utilize its radiant heat to warm your home.
Furnaces and boilers are similar in the method in which they create heat to warm air and water respectively, so they have similar energy efficiency concerns. Both are available in models that use gas- or oil-fueled combustion to create heat or as models that generate it with electrical heating elements. They also have similar lifespans and can be expected to last 15 to 30 years.
Efficiency is an important consideration when buying a boiler because it has a major effect on how much you will have to spend on energy bills. The electrical models are the most energy efficient, but electrical rates in most areas are much higher than those for oil or natural gas, so they are generally the most expensive option. The gas- and oil-fueled models are less efficient because they create gases that need to be exhausted, so some of the heat necessarily escapes with them.
Efficiency is measured by the annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating. Older boilers were less than 70 percent efficient, but new high-efficiency models have new features that have enabled them to achieve efficiencies in excess of 98 percent. Some of these features include electric ignition instead of a standing pilot light and a second heat exchanger that extracts latent heat from the exhaust gases through condensation.
Even if your boiler is energy efficient, it’s still possible your home won’t be efficiently heated if it’s not properly insulated and sealed against air leaks. These issues should be dealt with before getting a new boiler because this may allow you to purchase a smaller unit, which is cheaper.
For help buying a boiler in Tampa, Clearwater or surrounding areas, contact us at Cox Air Conditioning & Heating.
