When it comes to having to heat a home, those of us in the coldest climates in the US can’t afford to make foolish choices. We need good, reliable heating systems. They must be effective and efficient, and they can’t break down left and right. And since we demand so much hard work from them, it’s best if they’re able to withstand all that for many years. Enter the boiler!
Using a boiler to heat your home is not very common in the southern United States, where homes have been built to accommodate air conditioning—and thus have the ductwork for forced air furnaces—since the 1970s. But here, boilers are very popular, and for good reason! They’re great systems, rarely need repair, and can last a long time. How long? You might be surprised!
Boiler History
In past centuries, boilers were a bit different from what we have today. They were huge and heavy, made of cast iron, and thus very difficult to move around and install. They also didn’t circulate hot water. They actually boiled the water to steam, which forced itself through radiators. This meant much higher temperatures and pressures, and thus some alarming safety hazards!
These antique boilers were pretty impressive and could last for fifty years. Often the radiators were intricate and beautiful. Sometimes they even had built-in food-warming cabinets. But they would be completely impractical for today’s streamlined homes.
Modern Boilers
Today, your boiler will be much smaller and lighter in weight than its ancestors. It’s easier to install and fits better into your home. It also keeps the water hot, but not actually boiling, despite the name. The hot water itself is what circulates through your baseboard registers or subfloor radiant piping, which is much safer than pressurized steam.
You may be disappointed to hear that modern boilers aren’t designed to last half a century anymore. But let’s make a comparison to furnaces, instead. A gas furnace’s expected lifespan is just 10-15years, and an electric furnace can chug along for a little longer. But a boiler is likely to last as much as 20 years!
Long Life, Few Repairs
The reasons that boilers last so long are also the same factors that make them so much less likely to require repairs than furnaces. There are two main differences that have a huge impact on longevity and reliability.
First, furnaces have a lot of moving parts, and moving parts accumulate wear and tear quickly. A boiler has hardly any moving parts, really just the circulator pump. This means issues like friction, vibration, components coming loose, and other things that lead to repair needs and shortened lifespans are hardly ever a problem for boilers.
Second, gas furnaces in particular are very susceptible to corrosion. The condensation that occurs from gas combustion leaves moisture in the furnace, and that moisture isn’t just water. It’s actually quite acidic and rusts the metal. Boilers always contain water, but it has a neutral pH, and the tank is specially coated to protect against it. It takes much longer for corrosion to occur in a boiler.
What a great heating system! But they do require maintenance and, occasionally, repair. Don’t neglect your boiler in Woburn, MA.
Reach out to Cooling Unlimited, Inc. to speak with qualified heating experts.
