Boilers are a key component in many homes, providing both warmth and hot water, but they often come with a lot of questions. What exactly is a boiler? How is it different from a water heater or a natural gas furnace? Whether you’re unsure if you have a boiler in your home or are curious about different types, like combi boilers, this FAQ guide covers all the basics. We’ll walk you through everything from how boilers work to finding the right system for your home and budget. If you’re considering upgrading or just want to better understand your heating system, this article has you covered.
A boiler is a device that heats a liquid for the purpose of space heating. The heated fluid is then pumped through pipes to devices such as radiators, or in-floor heating loops, to heat your home. In addition to heating your home, a boiler can also be used to provide your domestic hot water for showers, laundry, etc.
A water heater is designed to heat clean water for domestic use such as showers or laundry, whereas a boiler is designed to heat a fluid for the purpose of space heating. Boilers can run at higher temperatures than water heaters
A boiler heats your home by distributing heat throughout your home with water. If your home heating system consists of pipes and radiators rather than vents, your home uses a hydronic (boiler) heating system.
A furnace heats air that is distributed throughout the home via a blower motor and the home’s duct system. A boiler uses hot water to heat your home through small hot water pipes using a pump to heat baseboard, cast iron radiators, or radiant flooring systems.
Yes, with a modern high efficiency boiler (see “combi” boiler system below), you can tackle your home’s domestic hot water needs as well as heating requirements, potentially leading to space and gas savings.
An expert Reliance Home Comfort™ Advisor will be able to present you with all the options to achieve optimal efficiency, comfort and reliability in your home. Reliance carries a wide range of boilers for any heating application from industry leading brands.
Most boiler manufacturers recommend an annual service for safety and to ensure reliability. Reliance’s extensive service network means we will be there when you need us.
Yes, a high efficiency boiler converts more natural gas to heat energy to be distributed throughout your home and loses less heat energy along the way. Reliance Home Comfort offers boilers with efficiencies upwards of 95%, which hardly waste any fuel at all. Plus, newer boiler technology allows boilers to be mounted on walls, a great space saving feature.
Renting is a hassle-free, convenient option that can bring you year-round peace of mind. You pay nothing up front and Reliance Home Comfort will maintain and repair your furnace at no cost. Not only can you enjoy big savings on energy and repair costs, a single low monthly rental rate can make for easier budgeting.
A “combi” boiler system is both a high-efficiency water heater and a central heating boiler combined within one compact unit. This can eliminate the need for a separate hot water tank, potentially offering cost savings for the home owner and potential space savings within the property.
Although radiators can be used to cool the home, a boiler cannot provide the cold water necessary for this configuration to function. If a water chiller is used with your radiator system, there are many issues such as humidity, corrosion, condensation and radiator longevity that would make this solution unsatisfactory. Other cooling solutions such as ductless splits far superior. Book a free in-home consultation to learn more.
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