Boilers are great for heating homes. To many, they appear to be nothing more than a large water heater connected to your home or business piping. However, an experienced and knowledgeable boiler contractor knows they are part of an elaborate plumbing system and require specialized knowledge to install and maintain. Read on to learn more about the in’s and out’s of a boiler system from Park Slope boiler contractor Aladdin Plumbing.
It Is A Complicated System
Describing a boiler as nothing more than a large water heater is an exercise in oversimplification. While this is true for the water heating function, boilers are also an integral component of the heating system. This makes them part of a complicated arrangement of water pipes and radiators as well as the electrical system and natural gas pipes. For commercial and large residential applications, boilers scale to handle large amounts of both water and fuel to accomplish a variety of tasks. Boilers can produce steam, heat water, and regulate the temperature of a massive structure if needed.
Producing Heat
Boiler systems primarily use natural gas as fuel to heat the water or steam used in the structures piping and radiators. The natural gas comes into a building through a variety of high-pressure pipes and is usually ignited under the boiler tank. However, this depends upon the design of the boiler. Once the water is the heated to the temperature required by the thermostat, it is then pumped to the radiators or baseboards.
Distribution Of The Warmth
Heating the water is only one step in this intricate operation. Water sitting in a tank does not heat individual rooms. This is accomplished by the heated water flowing through radiators or baseboards placed throughout the home. The system releases the water to the radiators only when it has been heated to the temperature specified by the thermostat. The heat carried in the water is then transferred to the materials in the radiators or baseboards and ‘radiated’ into the space being heated. A boiler contractor can fix radiators or baseboards.
Setting The Thermostat
The thermostat controls the temperature of the home and regulates the process of heating. It uses an electrical system, computer, and temperature sensors to turn on the gas flow and ignite it. Once it begins the heating process, the thermostat monitors the progress of the heating and will issue a shutdown command when the desired temperature is met. Without a thermostat, the system would run continuously. This would waste resources and could result in overheating of the building and damage to the system. A boiler contractor can help calibrate or replace a faulty thermostat.
There are many different parts and individual operations to any boiler system. Please contact Aladdin Plumbing with any questions you may have about the operation, repair, or upgrade of your boiler system. We are your Park Slope boiler contractor professionals.