Radiant heating systems with condenser style boilers have been around for about twenty years, but some homeowners in Monterey & Santa Cruz Counties may not know all that there is to know about these self-contained, self-recycling units.
Despite the fact that they are known by an old-fashioned word, boilers are the greenest and cheapest option on the market for heating your home. Here are six little-known facts about boilers for those who are thinking of finally getting a new cost-efficient heating system for their home.
1 - A New Boiler Could Save You a Lot of Money
The new boilers on the market are so efficient that you could find yourself paying ten percent of what you used to pay when you had your old heating system in place.
If you habitually turn down the thermostat, you are most likely to reach this kind of goal.
However, you do need to make sure that your home has full working water pressure, or the radiant heat produced by the boiler may not be spread throughout your entire home.
2 - Modern Boilers Are Not That Complex
Contemporary boilers are based on the principle that heated water expands upwards and this is how your entire home is able to be heated by a series of exposed or unexposed pipes.
Natural gas flows into the boiler, and when you turn it on, a flame is ignited that warms the water in the pipes. The hot water pushes upwards to heat the rest of your home.
3 - Help Save the Environment by Installing a New Boiler
Modern boilers do not have vents that produce either carbon dioxide or particulates, so they don’t foul the air indoors or outdoors.
They also use so little energy that they are slowing the depletion of natural gas reserves.
That is the beauty of installing a heating system that is completely self-contained and does not emit any type of pollution.
4 - High Water Pressure Maximizes Boiler Performance
You can install a state-of-the-art boiler in your home, but it won’t accomplish much if your plumbing system cannot produce sufficient water pressure to push it.
Consult with a plumber before you purchase a new boiler to make sure that the main water main leading into your house supplies your home with at least 15-psi pressure.
If it is lower, then you will run into problems running water while your boiler is in operation.
5 - Boilers Don’t Heat Water to the Boiling Point
The boiling point of water is 140 degrees. To heat your home with radiant heating, you only need to heat the water flowing through your pipes to 70 degrees.
If you are comfortable heating your home at 60 degrees then that will allow you to save a great deal of money on your heating bill.
6 - Boilers Don’t Add Moisture to the Air
A very common misconception is that boilers add a great deal of moisture to the air as the water passes through radiant heating pipes, when in fact they don’t add any at all.
If you fear excessive humidity affecting wallpaper, books or floors, then you can be assured that this is a groundless fear. The heat provided by radiant heat systems is dry and easy to breathe.
If you are planning on buying a boiler, then it is best to do so in close consultation with an HVAC who can assist you with making major installation and renovation decisions.
For instance, you may have to improve your water pressure by increasing the width of your water intake pipe from the city water main, or you may have to install pipes to accommodate your radiant heating set up. Other matters that may come up include retrofitting an existing boiler or converting an oil furnace to a natural gas furnace.
