How to Choose the Right Boiler

Many homeowners across Michigan rely on boilers to keep their homes warm and cozy all winter long. If your home heating system is on its last leg, we highly recommend having a licensed HVAC professional install a new one before it stops working all together. The last thing we want is for you to be without heat on a cold winter’s night. A frigid home is not only uncomfortable, it can be a threat to vulnerable people such as young children and the elderly. If you’re wondering how to choose the best boiler, rest assured Iceberg Heating & Cooling has you covered. Here are four things to consider before purchasing a new home heating system.

Step 1: Determine the type of boiler you already have installed and its fuel source.

Unlike furnaces which blow heated air throughout homes, boilers rely on either natural gas, oil, electricity, wood or propane to generate hot water or steam that is then transmitted through radiators, radiant floors, fan-forced coils or baseboard convectors. So, before you begin hunting down the perfect new boiler for your home, find out the type of system you already have installed and what fuel source it uses. Knowing this information will help guide you in the right direction. Here’s a breakdown of the types of boilers on the market today:

• Gas-Fired Boilers (fueled by natural gas or propane)
• Oil-Fired Boilers (relies on oil that is delivered and stored in a tank)
• Electric Boilers (efficient but not always cost-effective)

Step 2: Get the sizing right.

If you buy a boiler that’s too small, you won’t have adequate heat; if you buy one that’s too big, you will waste ample energy, which translates to a higher heating bill. Selecting a properly sized boiler is essential to keeping your Michigan home warm all winter. Boilers are measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units), and this number indicates the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one-degree Fahrenheit. To determine which boiler size is right for you, refer to this user-friendly BTU calculator.

Step 3: How energy efficient do you want to be?

When it comes to choosing the right boiler for your home, it’s important to keep energy efficiency in mind. Before you buy a boiler, look at its annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating to find out how efficient it is at converting fuel to energy. Let’s say you come across a boiler with an 80 percent AFUE rating. This means 80 percent of the energy in the fuel becomes heat and the remaining 20 percent escapes outside. New high-efficiency boilers can have an AFUE rating of anywhere between 85 and 98.5 percent, with electric boilers having an even higher rating. By switching to a new energy-efficient boiler that’s Energy-Star certified, you can expect to drastically reduce your monthly heating costs, not to mention you could be eligible for a tax rebate.

Step 4: Enlist the expertise of a licensed technician.

So, you think you’ve found the perfect boiler and are ready to purchase and install it. We cannot stress enough how important it is to hire a licensed, experienced technician to complete the installation. It doesn’t matter how efficient your new system is; a botched installation will only lead to headaches and costly problems. Get it right the first time by hiring the trusted HVAC professionals at Iceberg Heating & Cooling to perform your boiler installation.

We are here for you every step of the way. Our team of highly trained heating and cooling experts can answer any question you have, and help you choose the right boiler for your needs and budget. You can reach us day or night at 734-342-3420, or fill out our contact form!