Written on: November 23, 2020
Ask some people what type of heating system they have, and they will answer “a furnace” – when what they actually have is a boiler.
The differences between these two pieces of equipment (and the type of systems each works within) are significant – and knowing which one you have could prove quite helpful when the time comes to troubleshoot a problem with a heating technician.
A furnace is the key component in a “forced air” system – that is, a system with vents rather than radiators or baseboards.
The furnace burns fuel (such as heating oil) to heat a volume of air, then uses blowers to push that warmed air through a series of ducts and into your living space until it reaches the temperature you’ve set on your thermostat. Once the temperature is reached, the burner shuts off; if temperatures drop below your thermostat setting, intake vents draw the now-cooled air from your home back into your furnace for re-heating.
Three keys for keeping a furnace working at its best:
A boiler is the heart of a “hydronic” (water-based) system. A boiler burns fuel to heat water, then pumps it through pipes and into your baseboards or radiators; eventually, the water returns to the unit to begin the cycle again (a steam boiler operates more or less the same way as a hydronic boiler, but converts water into steam before sending it through to your radiators and baseboards).
Four keys for keeping a boiler working at its best:
Getting the most from your heating system starts with expert heating installations and heating maintenance in northern Westchester and Fairfield counties, and continues with reliable heating oil deliveries in NY and CT. Get all three with the experts at Westmore Fuel Co. – contact us today to learn more!