{"id":765,"date":"2023-11-29T02:32:10","date_gmt":"2023-11-29T07:32:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.atlantisplumbing.com\/articles\/?p=765"},"modified":"2024-01-01T10:44:19","modified_gmt":"2024-01-01T15:44:19","slug":"difference-between-boiler-furnace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.atlantisplumbing.com\/articles\/difference-between-boiler-furnace\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is The Difference Between A Boiler And A Furnace?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You’ll notice that some homes (usually older ones) have a boiler instead of a furnace. And you may wonder, what’s the difference?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s really very simple. The furnace heats air and the boiler heats water. Both make your home warmer during those cold winter days – they just do it in different ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Differences Between How Furnaces and Boilers Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now you know the basic difference between boilers and furnaces. So, how do these two different home heating systems work?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boiler<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A boiler has a tank of water that it heats up to create the steam needed to heat the house. That water comes from two sources, from a pipe connected to your home’s plumbing system and from some of the steam that the boiler generates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A boiler is powered by either electricity, gas or oil. It is programmed to monitor the temperature of the water in the boiler and once it hits a specific temperature – it will turn on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The water inside the boiler then begins to heat up. That hot water creates steam which then flows out of radiators or baseboard radiators to heat the home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furnace<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most furnaces are powered by natural gas, but not all. There are furnaces that are powered by propane, electricity or heating oil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The furnace gets it’s signal to “turn on” from the thermostat in the home which is set to detect the temperature. When the temperature hits a specific degree (which the homeowner sets up) it sends a signal to the furnace that it’s time to get to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The flame inside the furnace begin heating a heat exchanger within the furnace. A blower motor then begins moving the heat through the ductwork in the house and eventually the heated air comes out through vents in each room of the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which Is Better – A Boiler Or A Furnace?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Years ago when boilers were more popular than they are now – they were an amazing technology used to provide heat to indoor living spaces. But today, with the technology of furnaces and solar power – we all have more choices in how to heat our homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, then it’s always good to have the list of pros and cons when making a decision as to which heating system to use in your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pros and Cons of Boilers vs. Furnaces<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Boiler Pros and Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pros<\/strong><\/td>Cons<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Usually more efficient<\/td>Takes longer to heat the house<\/td><\/tr>
Provides consistent heat<\/td>Harder to install than a furnace<\/td><\/tr>
Less noisy<\/td>Harder to switch TO a furnace system<\/td><\/tr>
Requires less maintenance<\/td>Possible problems with water leaks<\/td><\/tr>
Better air quaility<\/td>More expensive than a furnace<\/td><\/tr>
Provides normal humidity levels<\/td> <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Furnace Pros and Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pros<\/strong><\/td>Cons<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Less expensive than a boiler<\/td>Less efficient than a boiler<\/td><\/tr>
No freezing hazard<\/td>Noisier than a boiler<\/td><\/tr>
Easier to install than a boiler<\/td>Provides inconsistent heat<\/td><\/tr>
Less likely to leak<\/td>Inferior air quality<\/td><\/tr>
 <\/td>May need to use a humidifier due to the dry air<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How Much Does It Cost To Replace A Boiler With A Furnace?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Costs to replace a boiler with a furnace vary according to the type of furnace that you purchase but also how much work is needed to prepare the house with air ducts, vents, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furnaces range in price from $5,500 to $7.000 – homeadvisor.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should You Replace Your Boiler With A Furnace?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The real question is should you even consider replacing the boiler in your home with a furnace?<\/p>\n\n\n\n