Keeping your home warm in winter is always made easier if you follow the right hydronic boiler maintenance. You want to keep it clean, provide routine maintenance, and always take care of issues before they become serious.
Not all of us do that, however. It’s easy to forget about a boiler tucked away in the home. Sure, you might complain about feeling colder in winter, but you might not head straight to the root of the problem first. You put up with it by struggling through bitter mornings and nights.
It’s time to change that. Get your hydronic radiant heating fired up!
6 Reasons Why you Should Never Ignore Hydronic Boiler Maintenance
1. Utility Bills Will Remain Low
Hydronic heating is seen as one of the most economical and affordable heating options for any home. It is incredibly well suited to cold climates, hence the popularity in Europe and North America.
A properly maintained hydronic heating system is an effective way to keep your energy bills low. This is because water is a high quality, efficient conductor of heat, and as a result, hydronic heating is roughly 35% more cost effective than central heating. [1]
You can easily warm your home via underfloor heating, or via pipes installed in the walls, without the high expenses associated with electricity.
Additionally, it’s important to note that there’s no wasted water. Hydronic boilers recycle water throughout their pipework, saving energy and water. Unlike a typical hot water system, no new cold water is introduced that consistently requires heating.
2. Healthy Air for the Family
Radiators and radiant floor heating systems do not rely on fans to transport heat. Instead, they pump water through internal pipework, directly from a hydronic boiler. Therefore, you will not have to worry about dust particles, bacteria and other allergens spreading throughout air vents in your home.
Allergy and asthma sufferers can benefit the most from the allergen-free heating system. There will be no dry eyes or dry skin, either. Air remains fresh and comfortable without the annoyance of dry, warm air blowing through vents and directly onto your face.
3. A Quiet Home at Night
Some people love a touch of white noise to help drift off to sleep. Others want nothing but silence. If you are a part of the latter group, hydronic heating is the perfect solution. You can avoid the unnecessary sounds of noisy ductwork and HVAC motors chugging along at night.
There is no constant jackhammering of the unit starting-up or shutting-off. There will be no banging of vents or noisy fans that could break down in hard-to-reach places.
Thanks to hydronic heating, you have a well-maintained hydronic boiler quietly doing its thing, tucked away. Warm water flows through the pipes with no distraction. You can get a good night’s sleep without the stress of waking up to a machine rattling out hot air.
4. No Cold Days in Winter
One of the most welcomed benefits of hydronic heating is the even spread of warmth it delivers. Unlike central heating ,warm air does not rise suddenly to the top of the room.
Alternatively, there is a good balance that sees warm air build up from bottom to top. The heat remains around people, rather than rising to a level where you cannot see it.
Underfloor hydronic heating/radiant heating is perhaps the most effective option here as the warmth is concentrated in the lower half of the room. With the right maintenance it is also incredibly safe to leave on during the night. You will never have to wake up to a freezing bedroom.
Related: Best Electric Heater for Cold Climates
5. The Environment Will Benefit
As previously mentioned, water is a superb heat conductor. It has 3,500 times the capacity of air to transport heat and energy. As a result it warms spaces far better than similar central heating and cooling units. Thermal efficiency can often hit highs of around 90%, compared to central ducted heating that sits closer to 50% on average.
This means you are using far less energy to heat your home, while also drawing on fewer external resources and fuels. The use of gas for heating the hydronic boiler provides additional environmental benefits when compared to fossil fuel sources.
Harmful refrigerants are also not required. Refrigerated HVAC systems rely on hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) which release harmful chemicals into the O-Zone layer. HCFCs have been in use for decades, and R22 has been the most common in air conditioning and refrigeration. Despite the fact that it is being phased out, R22 still exists in old systems, while replacement refrigerants are still not desirable for long-term use.
Therefore, a gas-fuelled heating system like hydronic heating provides a more positive alternative. And as long as it is well maintained, you will continue to help the environment while heating your home.
6. Plumbing Disasters Will Be Avoided
It is pretty easy to push maintenance issues to the side and only call in an expert when an emergency strikes. However, that leaves you in a bad position. You have to rush to find a local plumber or HVAC technician, while many unreputable businesses take advantage of customers with high emergency callout fees. You might not have the best outcome.
Annual hydronic boiler maintenance is a perfect way to prevent any potential plumbing disasters. No one wants to wake up to a leaking boiler in the basement or stumble across a burst pipe in the wall. So, you can get ahead of the curve with a pre-emptive strike: a consistent and reliable maintenance schedule.
This can address future concerns by identifying worn-out or damaged parts early on. Hidden concerns like a faulty thermostat or water pump can also be addressed easily. Expert plumbers have the ability to perform leak detection tests, too, and can uncover dangers that might otherwise be overlooked by a homeowner.
Michael Davis is a heating & plumbing expert who currently works as independent contractor in SC. He also writes for Plumbertip.
For almost 10 years he worked on various plumbing tasks across South Carolina.
