Boehmer Heating & Cooling Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Boilers’

Boiler or Furnace: Which is Right for Your Pittsburgh Home?

Monday, January 21st, 2013

Boilers and furnaces are two of the most common heating systems in the United States. There are pros and cons to each heating system but when it comes down to it, the best system for your home is the one that you like the most. But which one is right for your home? This can be a hard question to answer without knowing the specifics of your home, your budget and your personal preferences. Boehmer Heating & Cooling has been providing complete boiler and furnace installation in Pittsburgh for many years. We’ve help countless customers figure out which system is right for their home and then installed it for them so that it works when they need. Here are some of the things to think about as you move forward with this process.

Radiant Heat vs. Forced Convection

Boiler systems generally heat your home using radiant heat. This means that the heat from the under floor or wall pipes radiates out into the room and heats up the objects in the room. You can also have baseboard radiators which heat the air. A forced-air convection system, like a furnace, heats up the air and moves it through your home.

The Pros and Cons of Boilers in Pittsburgh

As is the case with everything, boilers do offer some great advantages to your homes but they also have some disadvantages. To begin with, many people report that radiant is more comfortable than forced-air heating. If you have radiators in each room, you can turn some of them off if you’re not using the room which offers energy savings. However, boilers are typically much more to install and to replace. They also don’t offer any humidity control for your home because they don’t circulate air.

Pros and Cons of Furnaces in Pittsburgh

Furnaces offer certain benefits over boilers. They allow you to incorporate an air filtration and humidity control system directly into your heating system. They also cost much less to replace and to install. However, because they move air around, they pick up dust and other allergens and move them into the air.

If you need any kind of help picking out a new heating system for your home, just call Boehmer Heating & Cooling. We have years of experience providing complete furnace installation and boiler installation in Pittsburgh. Call us today!

Tags: Boilers, Furnaces, Heating, Heating Installation, Pittsburgh
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Boehmer Heating and Cooling’s Happy Pittsburgh Customers!

Friday, November 30th, 2012

At Boehmer Heating and Cooling customer service is our top priority. Our expert team and wonderful staff help ensure that our Pittsburgh area customer are thoroughly satisfied with our service. Whether installing a new furnace, explaining the benefits of a geothermal system, or providing air conditioning repair service, we do everything we can to give you the best service possible.

“I was impressed and grateful for the prompt service. Everyone was polite and courteous.”

-Susan D.

“I am very pleased with your company and staff. I will always use you for any work I need. Your staff is very professional and courteous. Thank you.”
-Josie G.

“It was perfect from the first phone call through to completion. I was away from home during installation and was thrilled when I returned home. Loved the sales guy… good man.”

-Gloria A.

Tags: Boehmer Heating and Cooling, Boilers, Furnaces, Heating Service, Pittsburgh
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McKeesport Heating Question: What Is the Most Efficient Way to Heat My Home?

Monday, October 22nd, 2012

When it comes to heating, efficiency is one of the main factors most people take into consideration in McKeesport. There are quite a few different options in terms of home heating, including oil, gas and electric furnaces, heat pumps, and boilers, and each of these have their own set of advantages and disadvantages depending on your own particular situation.

For better or worse, there is no one system that is universally more energy efficient and effective than the others. The one that will turn out to be the best choice for you is the one that fits best with your specific heating needs, the climate you live in and the relative price of the fuel sources available to you.

For instance, if you live in a relatively moderate climate, a heat pump may very well be a good option for you. These systems are able to operate much more efficiently than furnaces because they extract heat from the air rather than generating it themselves. That means that in the winter, a heat pump can take heat from the outdoor air and pump it indoors to heat your home. In the summer, the heat pump can actually do the opposite, taking the excess heat from indoors and transferring it out to provide you with a yearlong temperature control solution.

Heat pumps generally run on electricity which can be expensive, but since they use so much less energy than something like an electric furnace, they can still be a very energy efficient home heating option. However, these systems are not as effective in areas with harsh, long winters, and so would likely require a supplemental heating system as well. Also, the lower the outside temperature, the less efficient a heat pump is going to be.

Furnaces, on the other hand, are quite effective at heating homes no matter how harsh or cold the climate. Gas furnaces are generally the most popular of the models available now, mostly because the cost of natural gas is lower in most areas compared to the cost of other potential fuels.

However, it may be worth considering an oil or electric furnace if these types of energy sources are relatively inexpensive in your area. No matter what type of furnace you get, you’ll be able to choose how energy efficient you want it to be as well, with lower efficiency 80% AFUE furnaces costing substantially less than those with an AFUE of 90% or more.

If you are interested in installation a new heating system in McKeesport or the surrounding area, give Boehmer Heating & Cooling a call today!

Tags: Boilers, Furnaces, Heat Pumps, Heating, Heating Installation, McKeesport, Pittsburgh, Sewickley
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Mt Lebanon Heating Installation Question: What Exactly Are High Efficiency Boilers?

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

You have already read plenty about how energy costs are rising. You know plenty well that heating your Mt Lebanon home is a substantial expense, and that the cost of running a boiler is constantly on the rise.

But as technology has gotten better, so have boilers become more efficient at providing heat. It stands to reason that a more efficient boiler is one that costs less to run…but what does “efficient” really mean in the context of boilers? What makes a boiler “high efficiency”?

What Is a High Efficiency Boiler?

All boilers are rated according to a standardized system of rating efficiency, called the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE). Essentially, this rating tells you how much heat energy is produced by a boiler compared to how much energy it draws. The higher a boiler’s AFUE rating, the more efficient it is.

For a boiler to be called high efficiency, it must carry an AFUE of at least 90%. For basis of comparison, older systems carry an AFUE of about 70%, while mid-efficiency systems run at about 82%.

In addition, a high efficiency system has a second heat exchanger for capturing and condensing flue gases, as well as a closed combustion system.

These three things — an AFUE of 90% or above, condensing flue gases and closed combustion – define a high efficiency boiler.

The initial investment in a high efficiency boiler can be costly, but the savings over time in heating bills make it well worth the expense.

If you would like a high efficiency boiler installed in your Mt Lebanon home, give Boehmer Heating & Cooling a call today!

Tags: Boilers, Energy Efficiency, Heating Installation, Monroeville, Mt Lebanon, South Park, Westmoreland County
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Pros and Cons of Various Heating Systems in South Fayette

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

When it comes time to install a new heating system in your South Fayette home, there are a lot of options to consider. Many people get overwhelmed when confronted with all of the furnaces, boilers and heat pumps on the market these days. So, to help you get a handle on what each has to offer and which will offer you the best benefits, here is an overview of the modern heating system market.

Furnaces

Furnaces are the core of a forced air heating system and use gas, oil or electricity to heat air which is then circulated through your home by a blower in your air handler. Furnaces are among the most fuel efficient heating systems on the market today with options available at up to 95% AFUE (meaning it uses up to 95% of the fuel consumed to produce heat). They are also inexpensive to install and while they don’t last quite as long as boilers, they are highly efficient when well cared for.

Boilers

Boilers use gas, oil or electricity to heat water or steam which is then circulated through your home into radiators or baseboard heaters. The heated water or steam releases heat into your home and heats it in turn. While not quite as energy efficient as a high efficiency furnace, boiler heat is perfect for homes with existing radiators and no room for vents and ductwork. It also has less of an impact on indoor air quality since there is no air movement and boilers tend to last a very long time when well maintained.

Heat Pumps

Heat pumps are becoming increasingly popular, especially in milder climates where it rarely gets below 40 degrees F. A heat pump uses the same technology as an air conditioner to extract heat from outside using a compressor, evaporator coils, and condenser coils with refrigerant.

It is most efficient in the spring and fall when temperatures are mild, but it uses much less energy than either a boiler or furnace and it can be used in the summer to cool your home. When properly maintained, a heat pump will last 10-20 years and save quite a bit of money, though it is recommended that you have an emergency heat source for days when the temperature outside gets below 40 degrees F.

Tags: Boilers, Cranberry, Furnaces, Glenshaw, Heat Pumps, Heating Installation, South Fayette, Westmoreland County
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