Boiler Installation: Pros and Cons

A boiler system uses hot water to provide heat for your home. If you already have a boiler system in your home, then you should have baseboards, radiators, or floor radiant heating.  But, is a boiler really what is best for you and your heating needs? Are there problems to be aware of? Do you need to upgrade? These are questions that any person should mull over when deciding what type of unit to go with. When considering a boiler system, there are benefits and potential problems that should be discussed before a purchase is made.

The Pros

• The Circulating Pump- This is the part of the boiler that helps the water move through the system. When compared to the blower motor of a forced air furnace, the circulating pump is more efficient at moving the same amount of heat.

• High Efficiency- Boilers these days are very efficient units. Some even have an AFUE rating over 95%! An AFUE rating is a measure of how much gas that the unit actually uses to provide heat for the home compared to the total amount of gas used to run the unit. If your unit is over eighteen years old, then chances are it is an inefficient drain on your wallet and the environment. These units should be replaced as soon as possible.

• Multiple Zones- One of the benefits of owning a boiler is that it is capable of meeting the individual heating needs of each room in a home. It does this through the use of multiple zones. Zone Valves on each radiator or baseboard can each be connected to individual thermostats that allow the owner to adjust the temperature from room to room.

• Compact system- Boiler systems do not have cumbersome duct work so they take up a lot less space. For someone with limited room in their home, this could be a very important point. To go along with this, boiler systems are also less invasive units to install in a home that doesn’t have a boiler system already.

• Combine with Hot Water- Since boilers run on hot water, it is possible to hook up your hot water system to the boiler. If you have a furnace in your home, the hot water system has to be a completely separate unit. A boiler will save you space and the hassle of having multiple systems.

The Cons

• Slow to heat- Boilers do not use any type of force to spread the heat created by the water throughout a room. Therefore, it takes longer than a forced air furnace would to heat an area.

• Pipe Freezing-Boilers come with the possibility of pipe freezing. If the temperature gets low enough outside and the system is not set high enough, the pipes that carry water through the home may freeze. A frozen pipe can then burst, or a radiator may explode causing a lot of damage to the system and your home. A boiler repair of this size could cost hundreds of dollars or call for a new system all together. To prevent this, you must insulate any pipes and make sure to set the unit properly when you are away from the home during the winter months.

• A/C Installation- It is not impossible, but it is not easy. The easiest way to cool your home during the summer is with central air conditioning. Since a boiler doesn’t have duct work, this can be hard to accomplish. Many people settle with window or wall unit air conditioners to meet their cooling needs. If you are going to go through the trouble to install duct work to have central a/c in a home, you will probable convert to central heat as well.

Boiler units are not what is best for every home, but if after going through this list of pros and cons you think that you may want to consider installing a boiler unit, feel free to contact Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning for more information about their selection of Peerless boilers. Our highly trained salesmen will be able to advise you on what type of heating system would work best for the heating needs for your family .