Boiler vs. Furnace: What’s the Difference and Which Is Best?
No matter what method you use to heat your home, the price of it is going to rise in the upcoming years. It’s estimated that natural gas prices will increase by 28%, heating oil by 27%, and electric heat by 10%. You might be considering the differences between a residential boiler vs furnace if your heating system is coming up for renewal.
In the article below, we will explain these differences so you can make an informed decision.
The Main Differences
No matter what other differences you might notice between boilers and furnaces, the main one is what they use for heating and cooling. Boilers use hot water or steam from hot water to do so, and furnaces use warm air.
Of course, this is just a simplification of the process, but it gives you a better idea of how they differ.
Another difference to consider is that boilers use heating oil, natural gas, electricity, or even wood pellets to heat your home, whereas furnaces mostly use electricity (especially modern ones).
Therefore, if you are thinking about saving money on your heating bill, installing solar panels and a furnace is a great way to do so.
But boilers and furnaces aren’t just for heating your home. They can cool down your home as well. They will require some connection or installation of a ductless system for this to happen, but that is a possibility to consider.
Boilers Take Less Work Than Furnaces
One thing you will notice about boilers vs. furnaces is that they take much less work to maintain. If you get an annual tune-up done by an HVAC professional, it should be good to go.
But a furnace will require you to put in a bit of additional work. Or purchase a maintenance plan from an HVAC professional so they can take care of changing the filters and doing the annual checkup.
Cost Comparison
Furnaces are cheaper than boilers though, in many ways. They are also easier to install for professionals. And since they don’t use water to heat your home, there’s less chance that you might deal with frozen unusable water during a power outage or a storm.
As iterated earlier, you can save on electricity costs by installing solar panels and then using a furnace to heat or cool your home.
On the other hand, the water that’s heated by boilers can get used for other things, like taking a shower or for your laundry. So it’s not being completely wasted.
Boiler vs Furnace – Ask the Experts What They Think
There’s no need to make the judgment between boiler vs furnace yourself if you are feeling confused. Contact an HVAC professional like J & M Smith Heating and Air Conditioning.
We can assess your home and give you a recommendation on the best way to heat it so it’s safe, efficient, and good for your wallet as well. We also offer maintenance and repair services.
