When we first purchased our new home, I wasn’t overly thrilled to have a boiler heating system.
I’d always heated my home with a gas furnace and trusted this style of system.
I didn’t know anything about boilers. I mistakenly believed that the equipment would be noisy, dirty, require a lot of maintenance and provide inferior comfort. It didn’t take long for me to realize that the opposite is true. A boiler is actually a hydronic heating system because it uses water to convey heat energy rather than air. With a gas furnace, the vents are typically located in the ceiling. Warm air is blown into the room, attempting to heat the space from ceiling down to the floor. Since warm air naturally rises, this process is counterproductive and the highest room temperature is normally up near the ceiling. It also creates uncomfortable stratification. A boiler links to baseboard heaters or radiant flooring, and the heat is radiated into the air at the floor level. The room is heated from the floor upward, eliminating fluctuations, drafts and cold spots. It’s possible to enjoy superior comfort at lower thermostat settings. Because the boiler is a closed loop system and uses the same water over and over, it doesn’t bring in any harmful air contaminants. In fact, boilers are recommended for people who suffer from allergies, asthma and other respiratory concerns. The system runs almost silently and requires only annual upkeep. Plus, a boiler is really versatile. It can link to radiators, heated floors, baseboard heaters, towel warmers and snow melt systems.