Do you need to replace your home’s boiler? Choosing the right boiler for your home is essential for ensuring your radiant heating works effectively. The type of boiler you choose can also make a huge difference in how much you have to pay to heat your house. In this article, we’ll look at the main factors you need to consider when choosing a boiler so you can make sure you pick the best option for your house.
Determine What Type of Boiler Is Best
In a place like Montana where the winters can get extremely cold, a gas boiler is usually going to be the best option. While you can opt for an electric boiler, it will use much more energy and result in your heating costs being much higher.
The next thing you need to decide is whether you want a traditional boiler or a combination boiler. Combination or combi-boilers serve two roles and supply hot water for both the radiant heating system and the plumbing system. Traditional boilers are only connected to the radiant heating system, meaning you also need a water heater. A combi-boiler will cost more on its own, but it will also typically be cheaper compared to the cost of installing both a traditional boiler and a water heater. On the other hand, it usually won’t last as long as a traditional boiler since it has to do so much more work. If your home has issues with low water pressure or you have a fairly high hot water demand, a traditional boiler is the better option.
Make Sure You Know What Size Boiler You Need
Whether you decide to install a traditional boiler or a combi-boiler, it’s essential that the unit is the right size for your home. If the boiler is undersized, it will use more energy and sometimes struggle to keep your house fully warm. Your heating costs will also be higher if the boiler is too large. An oversized boiler will obviously cost more as well. Another major concern is that your boiler will typically require more repairs and not last nearly as long if it isn’t the correct size.
Determining what size boiler installation you need isn’t all that easy, which is why you should enlist the help of an experienced professional. One factor that needs to be taken into account is what type of radiant heating you have, i.e., underfloor heating coils or radiators. The local climate also matters since it determines your heating needs, meaning a home in Montana will need a larger boiler than a home in a place with milder winters. The biggest factors when sizing a boiler are the age and square footage of your home along with how well insulated it is. Older homes usually have higher heating requirements. This is because they are often fairly leaky, meaning they have quite a few places where heat can escape and cold air can seep in from outside.
Focus on Energy Efficiency
If you’re opting for a gas boiler, you also need to choose between a conventional unit and a condensing unit. Conventional boilers are cheaper to purchase as a result of them not being as energy efficient. Condensing boilers more effectively use the heat they produce, which means they don’t waste as much energy and are cheaper to run.
The energy efficiency of a gas boiler is expressed in its AFUE rating. This rating essentially tells you how much energy a boiler wastes and how much of it is actually used to heat the house. Most conventional hot-water boilers have an AFUE of around 82%, which means only 82% of the energy they consume goes into heating the house. Conventional steam boilers are usually a bit less efficient and typically only have an AFUE of 80%. Any condensing boiler you choose will have an AFUE of 90%, if not higher.
Generally speaking, you’re always best choosing the most energy-efficient boiler that’s within your price range. This is where opting to finance your new boiler can be helpful since it can allow you to get a more energy-efficient unit that you might be able to if you had to pay the total cost upfront. While you will have to pay some interest when you finance your boiler, it can be worth it since a more efficient unit will allow you to heat your house for less.
PJ's Plumbing & Heating is a local, family-owned business that specializes in providing comprehensive heating and plumbing services. As the premier boiler services provider in the Belgrade area, you can trust us for your installation, repair and maintenance needs. If you’re looking to install a new boiler, our expert team can evaluate your home and radiant heating system and then advise you on which options will work best. We also offer financing for new boilers on approved credit. To get help choosing a new boiler, contact us today.
