Many homes in the Westlake, OH area rely on forced-air furnaces for heating each winter. They’re an attractive option because they work in conjunction with the ducts from your air conditioner, and provide reliable heat by blowing warm air through your home. But older boiler systems—which provide comfort through radiant heat and/or via the use of steam heat—make a viable alternative.
If you’re unfamiliar with the process, our guide explains how boiler heating works and how a boiler distributes heat differently from a forced-air furnace.
Boilers can run on gas, oil, or electricity, but the guiding principle behind them remains the same, and that can provide a number of benefits over a forced-air furnace. We’ve included a brief list of them below.
Savings
Boilers tend to cost more to install, and if you have an older oil-powered boiler, you might want to think about an oil-to-gas conversion. But in point of fact boilers tend to cost less to run than forced-air furnaces once installed, which can help your pocketbook stay happy during the cold months of winter. Why? Because forced-air furnaces work by heating the air, while boilers transfer the heat more directly to your body and the furnishings in your home through radiant heat. Furthermore, because boilers are simpler machines than furnaces, they tend to experience fewer breakdowns and require fewer repair calls.
Comfort
Blown air works as a means of heating your home, but it comes with a number of problems. Cold spots and drafts can dog your home, and blown air also tends to dry out your household: creating dry skin, drier sinuses, and significant discomfort. Radiant heat and steam heat avoid those issues, resulting in a more comfortable home overall. Furthermore, because there’s no blown air, boilers don’t spread germs as much, leading to fewer colds and illnesses in your home.
If you think your home could benefit from a boiler, or you already own one and need a reliable service to repair and maintain it, then let Westland Heating and Air Conditioning help!
