Cincinnati has a unique climate with humid summers and cold winters. A dependable heating system is an absolute must to keep your home safe from freezing conditions and your family comfortable and healthy. Below, we’ll do a head-to-head comparison of boilers and furnaces so you can determine which is the right choice for your household.
How They Work
One of the most important distinctions between these two types of heating systems is how they operate. A furnace can run on natural gas, propane, oil, or even electricity. Those that run on fuel will burn that fuel via the combustion process to create heat.
Those that run on electricity will have an internal heating element that warms the air. Once air is heated via the heat exchanger, it is then dispersed throughout all the rooms through the ducting. All furnaces operate as a forced-air heating system and rely on ductwork.
Boilers don’t work on a forced-air concept. Rather, they use radiant heat to warm your home. Boilers can run on natural gas, oil, propane, and even electricity. This system uses radiators or baseboard heaters to distribute heat alongside a series of piping connecting the fixtures to your boiler unit. A boiler will burn fuel to create heat or use a heating element powered by electricity to warm the water inside it.
As the water inside the system gets exceedingly hot, it then gets pumped around to the different radiators or baseboards throughout your home. Heat will naturally radiate from these locations to warm your room as the water inside the system cools down. The colder water drops back down to the boiler to be reheated and is recirculated throughout the system until your home reaches your desired temperature setting.
Energy-Efficiency
Both furnaces and boilers are given an energy efficiency rating known as an annual fuel utilization efficiency, or AFUE for short. The higher the rating, the more efficient the system is. In general, furnaces that burn fuel like gas, oil, and propane have a standard operating efficiency of between 78 and 85%.
Some high-efficiency condensing furnaces are available with an efficiency rating between 90 and 98%. Furnaces that utilize electricity have a 100% efficiency rating. Standard boilers have an operating efficiency between 80 and 85%. There are high-efficiency condensing boilers that can reach efficiency levels between 90 and 95%.
Comfort and Air Quality
Comfort and air quality are two important factors to consider when selecting a heating system for your home. With a forced-air furnace setup, you can experience more temperature inconsistencies as the temperature will be really hot when the furnace turns on and then slowly drifts off to cool as the furnace shuts off. This continuous air movement through your ducting can cause unwanted drafting and kick up airborne allergens that can aggravate your asthma or allergy symptoms.
Because boilers use radiant heating, they provide a more consistent temperature throughout your entire home without sudden spikes. There is minimal air movement because there’s no integrated fan like with a furnace, which makes boilers more convenient for those with severe allergies. Unfortunately, boilers do take longer to heat your home because all the water throughout your boiler system has to go through the boiler to warm up.
Choosing the Best System
Both boiler and furnace systems can be highly beneficial to homeowners throughout the Cincinnati region. Choosing the right heating system for your specific needs depends on a variety of features, such as your existing infrastructure and any allergy concerns that you may have. If you already have ductwork in your home for a home cooling system, a furnace will likely be more cost-effective.
However, if you or another member of your household suffers from severe allergies or other respiratory conditions, the forced-air setup of a furnace could increase allergy symptoms. In this case, choosing a boiler system can be the optimal choice, as it doesn’t blow any air that can circulate airborne contaminants and allergens.
Expert Heating System Installation Service
National Heating & Air Conditioning provides expert heating system installation service for the Cincinnati region. We can also help with all your heating system repair, replacement, and maintenance needs. Phone our office today to schedule a consultation.
