What Everyone Should Know When Replacing Their Boiler

Your boiler is one of the essential utilities in your house. It gives you warmth in the winter months and ensures that you can stay snug and cozy inside the house. However, like all utility systems, boilers can become damaged and cause significant problems.

It is possible to fix boilers if the damage isn’t too extensive. All you need to do is call an HVAC contractor. However, in some cases, a boiler replacement is the ideal option. You can get a new boiler and save yourself the headache of repairing it. This article will help give you insights into what you need to know before getting a new boiler.

Selecting a New Boiler

In truth, the process of choosing a new boiler isn’t terribly complicated. However, there are specific requirements that you will need to consider to ensure that you make the right choice.

The Right Boiler for You

These days, people rarely use steam boilers. They’ve mostly been replaced by hot water boilers, with some fuel variations that help them operate. Hot water boilers can use natural gas, oil, liquid propane, or even electricity. You will need to choose the boiler that uses a fuel source that is efficient for your location.

Generally, fuel rates and availability changes are based on location. So, you have to match your boiler with the most available fuel source in your neighborhood. Most homeowners who conduct boiler replacements just buy the same type as the old one.

Still, it is worth checking with your HVAC contractor to ensure you’re making the right choice.

The Ideal Size for Your Home

One of the most critical factors you need to consider when conducting a boiler replacement will be the boiler’s size. Generally, when you aren’t sure what size you’ll need of something, you buy the bigger one. However, this is not the case with boilers. When a boiler unit is too big, it could cause short-cycling—a process where the boiler cycles on and off too quickly and reduces its efficiency.

At the same time, a boiler that’s too small will need to work too hard to keep your home warm. Over time, this problem will lead to a surge in heating bills and even damage the new boiler. You can see that both issues will cost you more and reduce the life expectancy of your boiler. So, make sure to get one that is perfectly sized for your home.

The New Boiler’s Efficiency Rating

Of all the appliances in your home, your heating system uses the highest amount of electricity. To keep bills in check, you will need to get an efficient heating unit.

The more efficient units indeed cost more up front. However, when you’re done with the initial cost, you will be able to save a great deal on fuel and utility costs. So in the long run, it pays to get a boiler that’ll be more efficient.

To do that, look through the new boiler’s Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) ratings. This measures how effectively a boiler can convert fuel to energy, and it projects a complete heating cycle’s average thermal efficiency. A boiler with a higher AFUE rating is more energy-efficient, especially over time. The boilers with the highest efficiency ratings come with the ENERGY STAR certification.

Required Maintenance

Keep in mind that all heating systems will need regular maintenance to keep their performances optimal and extend their life span as much as possible. However, before getting a boiler replacement, you should know about the new boiler’s maintenance needs.

You should have a contractor check your new boiler at least once a year. Along with ensuring that you and your family members are warm and safe, the annual checkup also helps identify any minor problems in the boiler system before evolving into more significant issues.

Ready to Replace Your Boiler?

Call Stack Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric in Cleveland, Ohio! We are Cleveland’s experts on all types of heating systems and can perform boiler replacements for any home. We want you to know that your family’s safety and comfort is our number one priority, as it always has been. We are taking all necessary precautions and following CDC guidelines to keep our customers and employees healthy. We’ve been serving the Cleveland area for over 40 years, and we’re not going anywhere. Give us a call at (440) 937-9134 or visit us on our website today and find out what we can do for you!