Is Boiler A Heating System:7 Facts Beginner’s Should Know

In this article we will try to answer the question “Is Boiler A Heating System?”. In the beginning, we should know about a heating system.

A mechanism that is used to maintain a comfortable temperature by using thermal energy within a building or home or inside an office is known as a heating system.

Nowadays different types of central heating systems are available in the market. In most of the cases, the main component is a central boiler, where the water is heated, not boiled then with the help of pipes hot water is distributed, and heat exchanger or radiators conduct the heat to all the parts of a building.

Is a Boiler a Central Heating System?

A central heating system refers to the system that provides warmth inside the whole building from a single heating source or central point.

Nowadays, the most efficient and cheapest type of central heating system is a gas boiler, connected to the gas network and keeps office buildings, shopping malls, residential buildings, hotels, etc. warm. The central heating system consists of the boiler, radiator, and connecting pipes that run all around the building to keep it warm.

A central heating system optionally supplies domestic hot water also from one main source of heat. Furnaces and boilers are considered central heating systems because in both cases heat is generated at the innermost or central portion of a home and then distributed throughout every corner.

is boiler a heating system
Hot water central heating unit, using wood as fuel; Image Credit: Wikipedia

What is Considered a Heating System?

A mechanism that regulates the temperature within a residential building, office, commercial mall, etc at an adequate level is known as a heating system. Generally, heating systems can be considered as a branch of HVAC and are available in two forms central or distributed.

What are the Most Common Types of Heating Systems?

The frequently seen heating systems are furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, gas-fired space heaters, electric space heaters, fireplaces, etc.

Furnaces

A central furnace is placed to provide heat in a house, the heated air from the furnace is blown through the ducts, and warmth is delivered throughout the house via air registers or grills. Furnaces can be considered ducted hot air distribution systems, fuel oil, natural gas, and electricity are the source of power for the furnaces.

In the case of a fossil fuel furnace, the efficiency directly depends on the combustion efficiency of the fuel.

Boilers

Boiler or water heaters carry heat in hot water and distribute warmth through radiators or other devices throughout the house. Cooler water is regularly circulated to the boiler for reheating. Natural gas and heating oil are common types of fuels used in a boiler.

In the case of a steam boiler water is boiled and the steam produced is the carrier of heat through the house. Steam is condensed to water in the radiator as it cools.

Hot water is circulated to radiators with the help of a pump instead of any ducts or fan, plastic tubing on the floor is also used to circulate hot water in some hot water systems.

Heat Pumps

Heat pumps can be used to cool the home during summer and during winter they can be used as a source of heat. Refrigerant and electricity are used as the heat transfer medium, much more efficient than other heating systems but only suitable for moderate climates.

What is a Gas Boiler Heating System?

A gas boiler keeps our home warm and comfortable during winter and it also provides a steady supply of hot water as per requirement.

The hot water produced by a gas boiler is pumped through the central heating system which works like a circuit. Hot water is passing through pipes, and reaches the radiator to heat the home as the heating is switched on. The same water is used over and over.

Another task of a gas boiler is to heat water, just like the central heating to warm up the home, water is pumped to circulate over the flame so it heats up.

Is a Combi Boiler a Direct Heating System?

Direct heating systems are continuous flow water heaters as well as direct-fired heaters.

A combi boiler has two heat exchangers, primary heat exchangers used for space heating, and a secondary plate heat exchanger for hot water supply through the taps. The primary heat exchanger heats incoming water up to 60 degrees and sends it to the radiator through pipes, recycling of water also takes place.

To get drinking hot water a diverter valve is open through which recycled heating water is entered the plate heat exchanger, sealed water-carrying pipes are heated and clean hot water is supplied through the taps.

A combi boiler is an instantaneous source of hot water and can also provide central heating in a house. The limitation of a combi boiler is that it provides hot water supply or central heating at a particular time, it can not provide both services simultaneously. Generally, combination boiler gives priority to hot water.

Due to the lack of a storage tank, a combi boiler occupies less space and is therefore suitable for small houses. An uninterrupted flow of water is necessary for proper functioning.

Is a Combi Boiler an Indirect Heating System?

Though a combi boiler provides both the services of hot water supply and space heating, the main priority is given to hot water delivery.

Indirect heating systems are fresh-water stations and heat exchanger systems. In the case of a combi boiler mixing of water used for space heating and hot water for normal use is not an issue.

Conclusion:

In this article we tried to answer the question, “is a boiler a heating system? Before wrapping up the article we can conclude that although a boiler is a device to produce steam and/or hot water which may have various end uses; the primary use of hot water/steam produced in a boiler is in space heating, which includes heating of residential homes, malls and also other industrial spaces.