Talking About HVAC

Posted on: 5 May 2015

In new homes, forced air heating seems to be the standard choice. Many people assume it's simply more convenient than boiler-based heating, since it does not require the presence of space-consuming radiators. If you're designing a new home or thinking of replacing your heating system, boilers deserve a second consideration. Here's why:

Boiler systems don't spew allergens through your home like forced air systems do.

If someone in your family suffers from allergies to dust, pollen, mold spores, or pet dander, then you need to consider a boiler system for health reasons. With a forced air system, once these particles work their way into your ductwork (and they do so quite easily), they end up being hurtled through the air time and time again.

Even with the best filters on your furnace and regular duct cleanings, you're likely to have some allergens in the air in a home with forced-air heating. However, boiler systems heat with water that stays in a closed system. Air is not being thrown through your home, so the allergens get a chance to settle, making it easier for you to clean them up through vacuuming and dusting.

With under-floor heating, you don't even need to worry about radiators.

Many of today's boiler heating systems are actually designed without the space-consuming radiators that turn so many people off to boiler-based heating. Instead, the hot water flows through pipes beneath the floor, warming the floors up and heating the rest of the home by allowing this heat to radiate off the floor. This can make for a very comfortable home in the winter – you never have to worry about walking across a chilly floor. Radiant floor heating is also very efficient, so you may end up spending less on energy than you would with forced-air heating.

Boilers don't use electricity like blower units.

Even if you have a gas or propane furnace, the blower unit will typically be electric. That means for a forced air system, you typically have two bills – fuel and electric. Boiler systems don't have blowers, so they only use fuel. The absence of the blower component also means that boiler systems are much quieter than forced air heating systems.

Just because everyone else in your neighborhood is choosing forced air heating does not mean you also have to get on this bandwagon. Consider the benefits above, and ask yourself whether perhaps a boiler system is the right kind of heating system for your home. Contact John Legg's Heating & Air Conditioning for more information.