Boiler Maintenance

It is not uncommon for property owners or facility managers to wait until a boiler completely breaks down before replacing the unit. To make things worse, these types of failures happen when there is real need for heat (for instance, a very cold day) and since the failure is unexpected, there are rarely emergency funds allocated to fix the problem.

Here's what it all boils down to:

At Weil-McLain, we think you should have the straight facts on an often fuzzy issue: boiler efficiency. It's an important factor in selecting a space heating boiler, but what does "efficiency" really mean? For example, commercial boilers may be both very efficient and very inefficient at the same time. How is that possible? The answer is simple: There are at least four different kinds of boiler efficiency.

Many residential homes use boilers to heat water, and provide either hot water or steam for heating. Steam is distributed via pipes to steam radiators, and hot water can be distributed via baseboard radiators or radiant floor systems, or can heat air via a coil. Steam boilers operate at a higher temperature than hot water boilers, and are inherently less efficient. Weil-McLain offers both water and steam boilers that can potentially provide a substantial efficiency increase over a homeowner’s current model.

There are many variables in equipment, labor and installation costs with any heating system.

Generally speaking, the difference between the cost of warm air systems and hydronic systems is approximately 15%. However, if price were the only important consideration, choosing the right heating system would be a simple exercise in arithmetic.

Nevertheless, comfort and convenience are priceless, and the value of a heating system only begins with its cost.

Get unmatched comfort when you combine a Weil-McLain^® boiler with your radiant heat system.

Weil-McLain boilers can be used for space conditioning, floor warming, snow melting or other radiant heat applications. Radiant systems warm floors and objects around your home, creating a more comfortable balanced climate while keeping hardwood and tiles floors from becoming chilly.

Updated September 30, 2020

Hydronic heating systems are automatically and closely controlled to match every variation in the weather. The average temperature of water circulating through the system is raised or lowered as the outdoor temperature becomes colder or warmer, and when the thermostat is satisfied, the water in the baseboards or radiant tubing retain heat longer, thus creating a consistent comfortable feeling.

Typical warm air heating systems are often “on-off” systems that cannot modulate heat to outside conditions, and are prone to operating in short bursts on milder days.

To choose the right heating system for your home (and that best meets your needs), you must first understand the types of home heating systems that are available. What follows is a brief overview of some of the most common types.