It’s that time of year again in Marshalltown. The frostiest 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 take a look.

Types of Boilers

A boiler is a type of HVAC equipment used to heat your home, and it utilizes either steam or hot water to do so. Both use a boiler to heat the water and a radiant system to provide heat to all of the rooms in a home.

Steam Boilers

Picture a boiler as a teapot. These systems boil water to make steam, which is directed to radiators around your home. Creating more steam increases the pressure in the system and pushes the steam throughout the system. Radiators have air vents that open to release 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 typically powered with natural gas or propane.

Hot Water Boilers

Hot water boilers work similarly but circulate hot water all over your home instead of steam. When you increase the heat, water begins to warm up and is pumped through the radiant system when it has met your desired temperature. Water boilers are able to be fueled using either oil or gas, however, oil-fired boilers are not usually found outside of New England and the Northeast U.S.

Benefits of Heating Your Home with a Boiler

Boilers are known for their virtually soundless operation. In fact, you most likely won’t hear a boiler working 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 give you a more comfortable and even heat. Another benefit is that boilers don’t blow air around, helping reduce the allergens in the air.

Selecting the right heating system for your home can be a hard decision. Although they can be 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 Marshalltown, give Kapaun & Brown a call at 641-812-2028.