Many households in Shawnee get their home heating from a boiler. Boilers are hydronic heating systems that are effective, efficient, and safe. They also provide advantages over furnaces, such as no negative impact on air quality. If you need to replace a boiler or want to convert to one, there are many options on the market. Let’s explore those options to determine which ones are best for your home.
Power and Fuel Sources
Most homeowners opt for a fuel-burning boiler. Electric boilers are available and highly efficient. However, they may not be cost effective, depending on the price of electricity. If you’re considering electric, this is something to discuss with our installer early in the installation process. Note that most fuel-burning units use some electricity, such as for LCDs, but the amount is negligible from a cost perspective.
Natural gas is widely available in the region and preferable if you have access. A natural gas boiler is simply the most convenient and affordable choice long term. If you lack access, the most practical and affordable alternative is a liquid propane boiler. Households that use LP store it in a tank on their properties and get regular deliveries. Boilers that burn oil are an option, but fuel oil isn’t widely available in this area.
Noncondensing and Condensing
The industry refers to traditional fuel-burning boilers as non-condensing boilers. This is to distinguish them from modern condensing systems. All fuel-burning boilers must exhaust toxic gases from the home. Traditional boilers lose heat in that process. Condensing boilers limit that loss through the use of a second heat exchanger in the exhaust system.
Sealed and Non-Sealed Combustion
Modern homes will generally have a sealed combustion boiler, which provides direct venting of gases. It’s the safest approach and allows for higher efficiency. In older homes, you may have non-sealed combustion instead. It can take the form of either chimney or power venting. You can upgrade an older home to direct venting, but there will be additional costs.
Modulation
Traditional boilers provide their outputs at the same level all the time. Modulating boilers can adjust up and down based on the current heating needs. While many condensing boilers are modulating systems too, the feature isn’t exclusive to those models. There are, for instance, modulating electric boilers.
Sizing
Sizing a boiler is crucial just as it is with any HVAC system. If the boiler is too small, it will deliver inadequate heating. If it’s too large, you’ll spend unnecessarily. In both cases, you’ll experience more repairs and a shorter system lifespan. To determine the optimal size, our installer will perform a load calculation. It will account for square footage, ceiling height, and floor plan. The calculation will also factor in foundation, wall thickness, insulation, and so forth.
Hot Water and Steam
Hot water boilers heat water to the point of boiling but never reach that temperature. Steam systems, on the other hand, boil the water until it evaporates. Hot water boilers are generally the preferred modern choice. They’re more efficient and allow for more precise control. Still, if you currently have a steam boiler, it’s usually more cost effective to stick with it. The exception would be an old boiler system that requires a major renovation.
Combination Units
Combination boilers, often called “combi” units, are a type of hot water boiler. The main difference is that these serve as water heaters and can provide hot water throughout your home. You’ll want a new combi unit if that’s what you currently have. It may also be a worthwhile consideration if you need to replace both your boiler and water heater.
Radiators
A common concern is whether you can use your existing radiators, and the answer is yes. As long as they’re in good condition and efficient, keeping the same radiators is recommended. This is why it makes sense to stick with a steam boiler if you already have one. There are different styles of radiators, and you can mix and match them throughout your home.
Baseboard Radiators
Baseboard heating is a popular modern choice. It provides even heat distribution because the heat rises through the room from the floor to the ceiling. Another advantage is the slim form factor. They don’t take up a lot of valuable space in a room.
Upright Radiators
Upright radiators are more common in older homes, but even older radiators can be very effective and efficient. People often refer to these as wall radiators. While that is the most common configuration, there are others, such as floor units.
Floor Panels
Floor panels are the newest option and even more effective than baseboard radiators. Panels also heat the floor and take up no space at all. If you want panels throughout a home or in select rooms, choose a boiler system that supports them. Not all do, and the conversion can drive up your costs considerably.
Energy Efficiency
The Department of Energy measures boiler efficiency with the annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating. The higher the AFUE rating, the more efficient the boiler. This is less useful for electric boilers, which are at or near 100%. For those, look for the estimated annual costs on the yellow EnergyGuide label. You can then adjust it for your electric rates. The minimum AFUE for fuel-burning boilers is 80. The industry refers to AFUE 80-89 boilers as mid-efficiency systems. It refers to AFUE 90 and boilers with higher AFUE ratings as high-efficiency systems.
ENERGY STAR
The Environmental Protection Agency awards the ENERGY STAR label to high-efficiency, fuel-burning furnaces. That label gives you confidence because an independent lab has tested that boiler.
Energy Incentives
There are energy incentives available that can help lower your initial costs. Most, if not all, of these incentives require ENERGY STAR certification. That includes the federal tax credit worth up to $1,200. There are also local rebates available through utility companies and other groups. You can find those by zip code on the ENERGY STAR website.
Warranty and Maintenance
Warranties can differ considerably between brands and even models in a product line. Read the fine print to understand the length and scope of coverage. Explore extended warranty options. For both basic and extended warranties, note the maintenance requirements. Most warranties require annual service, including flushing the boiler tank.
Limescale
Regular flushing is necessary to remove sediment and limescale. That accumulation can decrease efficiency, increase operating costs, make repairs more likely, and shorten the boiler’s lifespan. Limescale is particularly concerning if you have hard water. If you do, there are two core options. An anti-scale device is local to a boiler and often a cost-effective option for homes with moderately hard water. A water softener is a whole-house system. It will protect the boiler but also your plumbing, water heater, and other major water-using appliances.
Local Boiler Installation Services in Shawnee
Air Care Heating & Cooling has been a trusted HVAC company in Shawnee, KS and throughout the surrounding areas since 1981. We provide both residential and commercial services. Our team performs installations, preventative maintenance, and repairs. We’re available around the clock for emergencies. Our specialties include boilers, furnaces, air-source heat pumps, hybrid heating, geothermal heat pumps, and ductless mini-splits. We install and service whole-home air purifiers, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers. Our team also installs and services tank and tankless water heaters. To learn more or schedule an appointment for your heating services, call today, or contact us online.
