Gas and Oil Boilers

Gas and oil fired boilers provide warm, consistent radiant heat for your home or business by creating and circulating steam or hot water through insulated pipes and into baseboard or radiator type system. From there the heat is then transferred to the house or business when the air in your home moves across the outside of the radiators and absorbs the heat from the heated metal surface. The warm air is then circulated through your home by convection.

The heat to create the hot water or steam is created by burning gas or oil inside of your boiler. The hot gases and heat that is created during the combustion process is transferred through a heat exchanger which is basically just a series of curved metal tubes which passes through a tank of water. As the heat passes through the pipes is transferred through the metal and into the water heating it in the process. The left over gasses are then passed out of the system through a metal or plastic vent pipe and into the outside atmosphere.

Boilers provide even consistent heat because it's not a forced air system which creates drafts when it turns on. It is a radiant heater so the heat radiates throughout your home on a constant basis for even heat. Another advantage is that a boiler does not create the dry air that comes from a forced air system like a furnace or heat pump and therefore does not typically need a humidifier for maximum comfort.

AFUE calculates the percentage of heat delivered to your house and compares it to the amount of fuel that you supply to the boiler. For example a boiler that has a 80% AFUE rating converts 80% of the fuel that you supply to heat and the other 20% is not converted to heat and effectively lost out the flue or chimney. AFUE is limited in that it only refers to the unit's fuel usage and not its electrical consumption.

The government's minimum AFUE rating for boilers is 78%. Many furnaces and boilers manufactured before this rating went into effect in 1992 had AFUE ratings as low as 60%. Boilers with AFUE ratings of 78% to 80% are the most common. If you have a boiler with an AFUE of about 60%, you could save significantly on your heating bills by replacing it with a higher efficiency boiler. Many times the cost is paid back through savings on lower utility bills. If you live in a cold area where fuel is very expensive consider a high efficiency boiler with a rating of 90% or higher. Consult a reputable air conditioning and heating contractor to help you decide which system is right for your area.