With fall and winter coming upon us, you might be wondering how your house is able to stay so warm. Well, most homes come equipped with a central heating system but many people aren’t familiar with the parts that make up that system or how it functions. Getting to know these different components can help you in the event of a malfunction. Nothing would be worse than waking up and feeling like you have frostbite. Now, we know that California doesn’t experience extremely cold weather like other parts of the country but boilers and furnaces are still essential to our homes. Let’s take a look at the two and how they operate to provide warmth and comfort.
Boilers distribute heated water or steam through small pipes to your radiant heating system, which generally heats homes through piping underneath the flooring. Fun fact: there’s radiant heating in the floor of the elephant house at the San Francisco Zoo!
Furnaces are fueled by gas, oil, or electricity to heat a series of coils which then pushes air out through a forced-air system. Heat is then distributed throughout your home’s duct system.
Boilers and furnaces come in three different forms: gas, oil, and electric. While they work differently, they share these things in common:
Central heating systems can be complex; but, in simple terms, a boiler heats a home with hot water while furnaces heat air. Another differentiating factor is the way heat is dispersed. Boilers distribute fluid through pipes and furnaces use air ducts. Are you interested in knowing which system is installed in your home? One telltale sign of boilers is if your home has radiators. Another way to tell is if your heating system has piping or tubing attached to it. On the other hand, furnaces will be connected to ductwork and typically extend up to your ceiling.
Each system has its pros and cons, just like anything else, and you’ll find convincing arguments for both sides. Boilers tend to produce cleaner heat and have lower maintenance costs. Additionally, they can be more energy efficient, allowing you to save on your utility bill. However, the problem with boilers is they can take a while to warm a room and raise humidity levels. Furnaces are great because they are less expensive and easier to install.
If you’re interested in expert advice on which system is right for your home, contact John Owens Services online or give us a call. We are the furnace repair & replacement specialists in Sonoma & Marin counties, with locations in Santa Rosa & San Rafael!
Our philosophy is simple, we always want to maintain equipment to give it the longest life possible. Next, we want to focus on repairing when something goes wrong. Then only as the last choice, we replace equipment when needed. That’s the John Owens Way.