Boilers
When heat is called for, a boiler releases fuel through internal boiler tubes that are surrounded by water. The fuel liquid inside of the tubes is ignited and creates heat which transfers to the surrounding water. That heat is transferred from the water through a heat exchanger and then circulated through pipes to be used for home heating, radiant floor heating snow melting, pool heating, towel warmers, spa heating and more.
Zonelife high efficiency boiler installation
Energy efficient boilers can save on the cost of heating, provide a quieter home and heat your domestic hot water. Zonelife is committed to providing you with the best solution for your unique situation which includes assessing your home to determine the best way for the heat to travel evenly and efficiently through your home without waste.
Our installations are designed and completed with quality materials and service to help your unit operate at peak efficiency.
There are a number of significant reasons to consider upgrading to or installing a high efficiency boiler. The major differences between a mid-efficiency and a high efficiency boiler are high efficiency boilers use less energy which can help conserve non-renewable resources and reduce greenhouse gases. High efficiency boilers can accumulate savings over their lifetime compared to a mid efficiency boiler due to their modulation and ability to operate in condensing mode. Most high efficiency boilers use outdoor air for combustion so they do not create more heating demand on your home through drawing air from the house.
For more detail on the inner workings of a high efficiency fully modulating boiler check out this video.
Zonelife can tell you about the benefits of high efficiency boilers and how they could meet your heating needs.
Commonly Asked Boiler Questions
Q. What does Hydronic Heat stand for?
A. The term Hydronic Heat means heating with hot water. This is not a new concept it has just become more popular due to its energy and cost efficiency and effectiveness.
Q. Why install a new boiler when mine is still working?
A. Boilers can account for a high percentage of what you spend in a year on energy bills so installing a more efficient boiler can lower your heating bills. You will also be helping the environment over time and high-efficiency boilers convert more fuel into heat compared to older boiler units.
Q. What does the heat exchanger do in a boiler?
A. Heat exchangers in boilers transfer the heat from the fire into the heat transfer medium which is the water. When a boiler has internal domestic hot water heating capabilities the heat is indirectly transferred to the water.
Q. Is natural gas better than propane or oil?
A. Natural gas is the more popular option due to its convenience, when compared to filling a propane tank the same way you have to fill your BBQ or having to wait for someone to come fill it for you. Natural gas also costs significantly less than propane. Often more rural areas sometimes must use propane or oil due to natural gas being unavailable in their area but they can look to different energy sources to heat their home such as geothermal.
Q. What is the main difference between a mid-efficiency boiler and a high-efficiency boiler?
A. The main difference is the boilers ability to reduce the exhaust or stack temperature of the boiler. As boilers use air and gas to create flame there is the requirement for it to exhaust. The exhaust temperature is waste heat. Therefore the higher the exhaust temperature out the boiler to the outside the more of your heat is wasted.
As the exhaust temperature drops the ability for the exhaust to carry one of the products of combustion (water) becomes reduced. The magic number is around 130°F. At this point water starts to show up and condense in the exhaust stack. Mid Efficiency boilers could not handle this as both their exhaust tubing and their heat exchanger would rot out. High efficiency boilers have high efficiency venting systems and are designed to handle the condensation easily and thus provide for lower stack temperatures.
Q. What does it mean when a boiler is modulating?
A. The absolute breakdown of modulating: your boiler only makes just enough heat to keep your house at its ideal temperature without producing any extra unnecessary heat. A fully modulating boiler adjusts to the outdoor temperature and varies the water temperature by degrees to make just the amount of heat needed resulting in increased energy efficiency.
Q. How are longer operating cycles saving me energy and not using more energy?
A. Think of a car driving and only having one speed. Not very efficient. Modulating boilers allow you to only operate at peak efficiency by slowing down and speeding up as you require heat. A few ways to modulate:
- Modulate the gas valve itself. Only burn as much gas as required.
- Modulate the Temperature: Keep the temperature of the boiler operating as low as possible for as long as possible so that the system is operating in condensing mode as long as possible.
Q. How can you get domestic hot water with a boiler?
A. You have two options for receiving domestic hot water from a boiler installation. You can install a combination boiler which has both high efficiency space heating and domestic hot water heating capabilities or you can install a boiler along with a separate indirect fired water heater unit.
A combination boiler eliminates the need for a separate domestic hot water tank by heating the water directly with the heat exchanger, allowing the boiler to condense in the domestic hot water mode. This also eliminates a second heat exchanger and the three-way valve from the boiler. Energy efficient combination boilers can maintain a set block temperature for rapid on demand hot water with no standby losses when no hot water is needed.
Pairing a high efficiency boiler with an indirect fired water heater can provide reliable heat and an abundant supply of domestic hot water; the water heaters come in a variety of sizes to best meet your needs. Choosing a water heater with the boiler is “indirect ready” with domestic hot water priority control this will handle dump loads better and provide higher GPM (gallons per minute) of hot water.