When trying to choose a heating system for your home in Easton, MD, you might be unsure of whether to go for a central heating system or a boiler. A sound heating system will go a long way in saving you money while ensuring that you and your family stay warm this fall. Read on to learn the differences between central heating vs. boilers for your Easton, MD home.
Central Heating
Central heating uses a furnace, which works by circulating warm air throughout the house through duct systems. The air heats in a furnace found in the main level of the home, the attic or the basement. The furnace can use natural gas, electricity, wood or propane for fuel.
Boiler
Boilers work by circulating warm water throughout the house through pipe systems and radiators. The water heats in the boiler, which is often installed in the basement. For fuel, the boiler can use electricity, natural gas or propane.
Noise Levels
Since the central heating system distributes heat by blowing air, it emits some amount of noise. This tends to vary depending on the quality of the furnace you have. Boilers, on the other end, do not emit any noise. This might be something to keep in mind if the ambiance of your home is important.
Heat Distribution
The piping systems for a boiler can run throughout the house, including the floors, creating zones of even heat distribution. For the central heating system, you can only establish a series of zones, which allows you to direct heating or cooling to sections of the house but not always to individual rooms.
Energy Efficiency
Even though both systems score equally on this, central heating systems tend to be more expensive in the long run. This is because of the heat loss that happens when warm air blows across the house, which increases your heating bills.
Boiler systems tend to have minimal heat loss. It’s important to understand that having an old system will give you low energy efficiency. Therefore, it’s important to consider contacting a professional to have your system retrofitted.
Central Heating Pros and Cons
There are many pros that come with a central heating system in your home in Salisbury, MD. Some of them include:
- Installation is cheaper compared to installing a boiler. This allows you to save on some costs.
- In case of power failures, you won’t run into the risk of having your heating system freeze up.
- The installation process is faster and takes just a few hours.
- There is no risk of experiencing a water leak, which allows you to save on repair costs.
There are a few cons that come with having a central heating system. Some of them include:
- It has low energy efficiency.
- It can blow dust across the house, which can cause allergic reactions.
- It makes noise that might disturb the ambiance of your home.
- It has uneven heat distribution that might cause some rooms to be colder than others.
Boiler Pros and Cons
Boilers also come with several pros. They include:
- It has a higher energy efficiency rate, allowing you to save on energy costs.
- It operates silently.
- It provides you with even heat distribution across all the rooms.
It has a few cons too. They include:
- The installation costs can be high.
- It doesn’t offer any air conditioning during hot weather, which might have you installing a separate air conditioning system to cater to this.
- Compared to a central heating system, it takes a while for the boiler system to heat up the rooms.
With the differences between the central heating system and a boiler outlined, it becomes easier to decide which one would best suit your home in Easton, MD. At Griffith Energy Services, our lines are available 24/7. Reach out to our trusted technicians to help you figure out the best heating option for your home.
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