Heating your entire home is a difficult process that requires multiple complicated systems. Most homes use a furnace to blow hot air through the vents and into the home, as well as a hot water heater to heat the water you may need for a shower, washing clothes, washing dishes, etc. But some homes use a boiler instead. Do you know what is used in your home? Here is the difference:
Hot Water Heater
A hot water heater is a storage tank that heats water by electricity or burning gas. Once water is heated, it is stored in the tank until it is needed. When this hot water leaves the tank, cold water refills it to be heated until hot water is needed again for a shower, washing dishes, or the like. If you’ve ever run out of hot water in your home, its because you have emptied the tank before it had time to fully heat the new cold water that refilled it as it was emptying. Some Hot water heaters are also tankless, meaning they heat water on-demand.
Boiler
A boiler can be used for both hot water needs and to heat the entire home so there is no need to install a furnace. Boilers heat water that is then pushed through pipes into the radiators, or they heat water until it creates steam to heat the radiators. Heat is created more instantaneous than with a hot water heater.
Curious about which option is best for your home? Talk to the knowledgeable and experienced professionals at Heatmasters! In more than seven decades as an HVAC contractor, we have earned a reputation for outstanding heating and air products Chicago can trust, and award-winning service.Give us a call today!
