Water is among the most valuable natural resources that we enjoy and use daily. Since major plumbing appliances can last for a decade or more, we sometimes confuse certain terms.
“Furnace” is used interchangeably with “boiler”. Both a boiler’s and a furnace’s primary purpose is to heat your home. The boiler heats water and circulates it to baseboards, radiators, or a coiled system beneath floors or in walls. A furnace heats air and blows it through your ductwork to vent the heated air through registers. For warmer seasons, air could be cooled instead and delivered through the same vents.
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If you are looking for more efficient home heating solution
| Boiler | Furnace | |
| Main Purpose | Home heating | Home heating |
| Other Potential Roles | Energy source for cooking, cleaning and sanitizing in home | Cooling |
| Energy Source/Method | Water is heated by electric, gas, heating oil, or wood, then circulated through heaters. | Air is heated or cooled and blown through ductwork via electricity, gas, propane or oil |
| Distribution | Radiant heat via baseboard, radiator or coils in floors | Motor blows air through ductwork, vents or registers |
| Usage | Residential & Commercial structures | Residential & Commercial structures |
| Advantage/Disadvantage | Consistent heat but requires space, most expensive to acquire and maintain; leaks can cause home damage | Drafty but space saved in wall; frequent filter changes; more noisy; inferior air quality, DRY heat |
Boilers tend to be more expensive to acquire and need skilled maintenance. The resultant heat is more consistent, but baseboards and radiators take more in-room space. Furnaces need more frequent air filter changes, but this could be easily handled by do-it-yourselfers. The blowers tend to be noisier; the heat produced is drafty and not as long lasting. Typically, furnaces are 30% to 50% lower upfront to purchase but are not as energy efficient and therefore, have higher operating costs long term. Home builders tend to opt for the lower cost furnaces in new construction.
To a lesser extent, another appliance that a boiler gets confused with is a water heater. The latter heats the water in your house while the former uses water to heat your house. Boilers have a broader purpose and typically are more complex than water heaters.
What is the best solution for your family? It depends on what’s in your house, your family needs and the time you estimate staying in your home. Call us at AMS Plumbing & Heating so we can highlight your options and help you make the best decision for your family.
