Do Boilers Actually Boil? Find Out & Learn More With Our 6 Fun Boiler Facts

Winters here in this state can make us retreat to our homes and just try to stay warm while waiting for spring. That means all of us rely on our heating systems for warmth and comfort, but there’s more than one way to heat a home.

Boilers may be an older technology, but they still work well. Why? Let’s go over some basic facts to explain.

It’s Just Hot Water

As you may have guessed from the name, boilers work on the simple principle of applying heat to water.

Water retains heat quite well, so it’s then easy to move that hot water to any place you need it.

Once it arrives at its destination, that cooler temperature in a room attracts the heat, radiating it out, so it warms the room up.

It’s simple physics!

But Does It Really Boil?

Not today, no, at least, not for the type of boiler you’d have in your home.

In industrial environments, some boilers do need to get water up to the boiling point to vaporize it into steam, which is the real goal.

But for keeping a home or workplace warm, water only needs to hit 140° with today’s technology to feel comfortable.

It Won’t Humidify

A gas furnace dries out the air in a home, because it burns gas to heat up air, thus drawing in the moisture.

So does a water-based heating system add moisture to the air? Not in the case of boilers, no.

The hot water is tightly sealed away, so the liquid itself never makes contact with the air to evaporate.

It is only the heat that radiates out, which is why rooms tend to feel more evenly warm with boiler systems since it’s not just pushing out cold air, but warming it up.

It Needs Steady Pressure

Because boilers use water, they need to move it around, and that means there are some definite parallels with plumbing.

Water pipes carry hot water to the rooms it needs to go to, but it can’t move there without steady, reliable pressure at a good level.

Low water pressure is very bad for two reasons. It hurts performance, and it may mean you have a leak somewhere.

It Adds Value to Your Home

Older HVAC systems that predate the century are still at work in many homes and workplaces.

But if you’ve got something that old, you may be reluctant to spend on a new system if the old one is “working fine.”

However, investing in a new boiler will see a drop in your energy bills thanks to a performance boost, and even add to your property value and resale appeal.

An Efficiency Boost

The better boilers can deliver up to 90% energy efficiency, but they allow you to save in other ways as well!

One of the most useful is the fact that boilers can heat individual rooms, whereas a furnace must heat the entire building. You save by only heating the rooms you need to, which is far more efficient.

Winters in Anoka, MN can get very cold and unforgiving. A good heating system is essential, so if you’re in the market for an upgrade, make sure to weigh all your options, and see if boilers might not be a good fit for you.