Boost your winter warmth with a new hydronic heat system.
When was your current boiler installed in your home? If it’s been more than a decade, you could be getting less-than-stellar home comfort from your heating equipment. You’re also likely using more heating oil, natural gas or propane than necessary.
At Leahy’s Fuels, we advise most homeowners that they should look into replacing their boiler when it reaches around 15 years. Doing so will almost certainly boost your heating efficiency and lower your annual operational costs.
How Does a Boiler Work?
Boilers, unlike furnaces, are designed to heat water, typically using a burner powered by oil or gas. This is called a hydronic heat system.
Steam boilers work by boiling water to produce steam, which is then distributed throughout your home via radiators, baseboards, or radiant floor systems. More modern boilers, however, are likely to circulate hot water through your home’s piping instead of steam.
Operating as a closed-loop system, today’s condensing boilers don’t require constant water replenishment, making them more efficient. As the hot water or steam cools and condenses, it cycles back to the boiler to be reheated, ensuring a continuous and efficient heating process.
Should You Stick with a Boiler System?
We know that some people consider hydronic heating to be more “old-fashioned” than forced air heating systems. However, boilers have some considerable advantages over furnaces. They tend to run quieter, and since there’s no circulated air, they won’t bring dust, debris, mold and other airborne pollutants into your home. Additionally, many people swear by the cozy heat that boilers generate. This heat is slightly humid, which makes your rooms feel more comfortable.
We also typically suggest that people stick with a boiler if that’s what their home already has. Making the change to a furnace system is almost always more expensive and disruptive to your daily life. Plus, installing ductwork can mean sacrificing living space.
Improving Your Fuel Efficiency
Today’s boilers can have fuel efficiency ratings as high as 90%. The efficiency of a 15-year-old boiler many have dropped below 60%, meaning over 40 cents of every dollar you’re spending on fuel is going right out your chimney without heating your home.
But investing in a high-efficiency boiler could boost your fuel efficiency by 30% — potentially even more!
Leahy’s Fuels sells and installs heating systems from leading manufacturers like Buderus, Energy Kinetics (System 2000), Peerless and NTI. We can help you find an efficient replacement boiler that slashes your fuel use while keeping you nice and toasty all winter. We’ll even help you qualify for rebates and other financial incentives to lower your upfront costs.
Converting to Propane with Leahy’s Fuels
One other option to reduce your energy spending when upgrading your boiler is to explore your propane options. If you’re currently using an old oil-fired system, switching to propane might have some significant advantages:
- Fuel Efficiency — Propane boilers often have higher efficiency ratings than heating oil models.
- Lower Maintenance Costs — You may not need to have as frequent service for your propane boiler.
- Fuel Affordability — Propane is a predominately U.S.-made energy source. Households that convert from oil to propane often lower their fuel costs.
- More Space in Your Home — You can get rid of the bulky heating oil tank in your basement.
- Additional Home Functions — Your propane tank can also fuel tankless water heaters, stoves, dryers, gas logs and outdoor amenities.
The Leahy’s team is ready to help you take your home’s heating system from old to gold. Contact us for a free estimate on a new boiler in New Milford or elsewhere in western Connecticut.