Since we had so much fun listing a few fun facts about electricity and electrical work in October’s blog, we are taking the opportunity to do the same thing about our HVAC services! That’s right, we are writing a blog about furnaces, boilers, HVAC, and heating more generally — but this one is going to be both educational and fun!
If you have doubts about just how fun we can make it, all we can do is ask that you give us the chance and read on!
At any rate, here’s a chance to learn more about boilers, furnaces, and heating systems more generally. We hope you enjoy today’s atypical yet informational blog by ElectricMasters, Cincinnati’s top HVAC company and electrical contractor!
- Furnaces are the most popular means of heating a home. While that fact might not qualify as fun or interesting in your book, it remains an important one on a practical level. You see, there’s a reason why furnaces are so prevalent. The way furnaces create heat that is sent throughout the house/commercial building through a system of ducts in the ceiling, walls, and floors is one that’s tough to beat. What’s more, furnaces can use a range of energy sources, from natural gas and oil to electricity and a combination of all of the above.
- Natural gas furnaces are the most common — in no small part because they are the most cost-effective. In fact, natural gas furnaces can be as much as 30 percent less expensive than using an electric system.
- Did you know that furnaces help your pipes from freezing in the winter? If you were to turn your furnace off, it would take around three days for your home’s water lines to freeze if it’s cold enough outside. That’s why it’s important to keep your home’s temperature above freezing even if you are out of town and the house is unoccupied!
- Furnaces are made of three key parts, the burner (in gas furnaces) or heating element (in electric furnaces), heat exchanger, and blower. Burners and heating elements create heat using the appropriate energy source. Heat exchangers play the essential role of separating combustion gas from breathable air. Finally, blowers send the healthy air through the house or commercial building’s duct system.
- Furnace installations are regulated by local and federal government. There’s a good reason for this, too — furnace installations can quickly turn into safety hazards if the installer doesn’t know what they are doing. If you are in the Cincinnati, Tri-State area and are looking for an experienced, affordable, and licensed furnace installation contractor, our HVAC services are the best in the area!
- We’ve spoken about gas furnaces being the most economical of all furnace types, but did you know that there are five types of gas furnaces? Horizontal gas furnace, package gas furnace (all-in-one that includes an AC unit), downflow gas furnace, and upflow gas furnace are all commonly used in the industry. Each has its own purpose, so be sure to ask us which one is right for your home or place of business. There are other ways to distinguish furnaces, such as single-stage, two-stage, or modulating, but that’s a bit too technical for today’s blog post so we’ll leave it at that.
- British people likely will not what you are talking about if you use the term “furnace” to discuss a home heating system. This is because they still use the word in its original sense — as commercial equipment used in metalworking and smelting applications.
- Furnaces become less efficient with a lack of maintenance. And while we will be the first HVAC contractor to admit we have a horse in the race, we wouldn’t be doing right by our customers and clients if we didn’t tell you the truth. The truth is that maintenance to your home heating system is essential to make sure the whole unit is operating smoothly and efficiently. If you’ve ever noticed your energy bill skyrocket in the middle of winter, it might not have to do with you and your family suddenly using twice as much energy compared to the month prior — you might be in need of an HVAC maintenance plan from ElectricMasters in the Tri-State area! Food for thought, anyway.
Boiler Brass Tacks
- First of all, let’s discuss the difference between a furnace and a boiler. There are many differences worth addressing, but perhaps none are as significant as the fact that furnaces deal with heating air while boilers heat water.
- While furnaces heat air to heat a home, boilers heat water to flow through a home’s pipe network. Once the hot water flows through the home for long enough, the home will warm to the desired temperature.
- While furnaces need their air filters changed every few months or so, boilers come along with more maintenance. Boilers need their excess air bled more frequently than air filters need to be changed. While the frequency of this maintenance varies from boiler to boiler, an HVAC specialist at ElectricMasters can quickly diagnose those needs on a service call to your Cincinnati home.
- One advantage boilers have over furnaces is that you can control which rooms are heated by the boiler. This helps you save money on energy bills, especially when you only use certain rooms in your house.
- One common misconception about boilers has to do with humidity. Some people think that because there’s steam involved, it naturally will lead to a more humid environment. Not so! Unless, that is, you have a boiler that’s not operating properly. In fact, you should give a heating and cooling company a call right away if that’s happening, because you probably have a leak.
- An additional advantage of boilers is that they are quieter than furnaces. They don’t pump air out, so they don’t have any air ducts. And while top-of-the-line furnaces are usually slightly more efficient than high-end boilers, the difference is marginal.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this masterful ElectricMasters blog filled with intrigue! Be sure to reach out to us if you have any issues with your furnace, boiler, or HVAC. We’d love to hear from you!