There’s nothing worse than waking up to a cold winter chill in your own home! Keep reading to learn about some main types of heating systems for your home.
What’s the difference between a boiler and a furnace?
Many homes in Maine feature boilers instead of the typical central air system of homes in more temperate locations.
What’s a boiler?
A boiler is an appliance that heats water and pumps it throughout your home via a system of small pipes. These pipes can run through radiators, baseboard heaters, and/or radiance floor heating systems.
Pros to boilers:
- Lower energy bills
- Boilers may require less maintenance than other systems, though you do need to get your boiler cleaned every year to ensure that it runs smoothly and efficiently
Cons to boilers:
- More expensive than furnaces
- Boilers can leak
- Hard to convert to another heating system
What is a furnace?
A furnace heats air and then uses air ducts and a blower to distribute warm air throughout your home. Furnaces are typically less expensive than boilers since they’re a more modern heating solution.
Pros to furnaces:
- Less expensive than boilers
- Won’t leak water
- Easier to install
Cons to furnaces:
- Worse air quality
- Less efficient than boilers
Alternative Heating Systems to Consider
If a furnace or boiler doesn’t seem like the best choice for you, there are other options to consider.
Radiant Floor Heating
Radiant floor heating is another option to pair with a boiler. Gone are the days where you wake up to a freezing floor or chilly draft—since this heating option works from the ground up, your home feels the warmth more evenly.
Heat Pump
A heat pump is another option that is invaluable for controlling the temperature in single rooms or independent suites such as a mother-in-law-suite.
For more information on all heating options for your home, contact our experts online or by phone at (207) 747-1210 today!