It’s winter again in Fredericksburg. The iciest 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 a number of products on the market that will keep your home warm. What’s a boiler you ask? Let’s get a closer look.

Types 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 each room in a home.

Steam Boilers

You could compare steam boilers to a teapot. These systems boil water to make steam, which is transported to radiators around your home. Creating more steam amplifies 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 heads back to the boiler to be reheated. Steam boilers are primarily 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 achieved your chosen temperature. Water boilers may be fueled using either oil or gas, however, oil-fired boilers are not traditionally utilized outside of New England and the Northeast U.S.

Benefits of Heating Your Home with a Boiler

Boilers are known for their nearly soundless operation. In fact, you more than likely won’t hear a boiler running at all unless there’s a problem with the system. And, because radiant systems use pipes that are installed in the walls or floor, boilers can offer a more comfortable and even heat. Another perk is that boilers don’t blow air around, helping decrease the allergens in the air.

Choosing the right heating system for your home can be a hard decision. Although they are often more expensive than furnaces, boilers offer quieter and more even heating for your home. If you’d like to find out more about the high-efficiency boilers available in Fredericksburg, give Childress Heating & AC a call at 540-675-4306.