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How Do Furnaces Compare to Boilers?

Written on: November 8, 2021

What’s the difference between the two?

furnace or boiler new hampshireHave you ever noticed that when people talk about their home heating system, they often call it the furnace? And they may not even have a furnace, but a boiler instead.

Furnaces and boilers are two distinctly different heating systems, so it’s important that you know which one you have so you know how it works and how to care for it.

Johnny Prescott expertly installs and services both furnaces and boilers, and also provides reliable propane and heating oil delivery for them.

How does a boiler work?

Boilers use heated water to heat your home. They heat water, and hot water or steam is sent around your home to provide heat. With steam boilers, the steam is distributed through pipes to radiators. With hydronic boilers, the heated water goes to baseboard radiators, under-floor radiant floor systems, or a coil that heats air.

Boilers provide consistent, steady, and comfortable heating that isn’t drying. Another benefit of boilers is their long typical lifespan, which ranges from 15 to 20 years. Because boilers are closed systems, they can be highly energy efficient.

Boilers have one disadvantage in that they are more expensive to install as it is a more complex heating system than furnaces are.

How does a furnace work?

A furnace maintains the desired temperature in your house by circulating heated air throughout it. Air enters the furnace via a return and is heated. The warmed air is then sent into the ductwork, which transports it to all of your rooms via vents.

Propane, heating oil, natural gas, and electricity are all used to power furnaces. They’re currently the most popular type of heating system on the market.

When you choose a forced-air heating system, the cost of ownership over the long term is lower than with boilers since furnaces are less expensive to buy, install, maintain, and repair. Because they’re a simple design, furnaces can be installed in less than a day.

Furnaces are also excellent for rapidly heating your house and to higher temperatures.

Furnaces have the disadvantage of only blowing heat into a room from the vents, which means that it isn’t always distributed evenly and that you may end up with cold spots in a room.

Whether your home has a furnace or boiler, Johnny Prescott is your full-service company when it comes to keeping your home warm and comfortable. Become a customer today!