Fix it, and Keep on Fixing It

If you are considering buying a home with boiler heating or have recently moved into one, then it is a good idea to know a few basics about this type of heating appliance. Some of what you think you know may actually be myths like the following.

Myth: Boilers are really expensive to replace. 

Friends and family members may have warned you not to buy this home because when the boiler fails, it will be expensive to replace. There's a little bit of truth in this. Boilers do tend to cost a little more than furnaces, but the difference is typically a few hundred dollars, not thousands. Plus, boilers last longer and often require less maintenance than furnaces, so the costs really cancel out long-term. In some cases, a boiler may even be cheaper to operate than a furnace in the long run.

Myth: A boiler could explode and damage your home.

Many years ago, it was not unheard of for boilers to explode. But more modern boilers, even those that are a few decades old, are carefully designed to prevent this from happening. They have a pressure relief valve that will allow excess air and steam out of the boiler long before it is at risk of exploding. This is simply not something you need to worry about because the risk of it happening is so incredibly low.

Myth: Boilers make your home really humid.

Boilers do work by creating steam. However, they don't make your home humid because all of the steam that they create remains inside a closed system. It circulates from the boiler, through the pipes, to the radiators and does not actually enter your living space. If your home is too humid, it's not the fault of the boiler; it is probably due to the weather conditions. An HVAC contractor can install a dehumidifier to remove excess humidity, just like they would do if you had a furnace for heating. Replacing your boiler with a furnace will do nothing for your home's humidity levels.

Hopefully this article has taught you a little more about boilers and cleared up some myths. If you have a boiler, it's a good idea to have an HVAC contractor inspect and maintain it every year or two. This way, any issues can be caught and repaired early.

Speak to a local contractor or read more about your home's heating to learn more.