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| Home Heating Tips |
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Hot Water Heating: The Ultimate in Home Comfort
Have You Qualified Your Heating Contractor?
Should You Replace Your Boiler?
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Hot Water Heating: The Ultimate in Home Comfort
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If you're investigating a heating system for your new home, you are making a
decision that will affect your comfort, health and the cost of running your
household for years to come. So, you owe it to yourself and your family to
consider the many advantages of automatic hot water heating (generally referred
to as a hydronic system).
Homeowners with hydronic systems find they are
reliable, clean and efficient all without the noise, dust and drafts of hot air
systems. Here's how the typical hydronic system works:
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The heat source is a boiler fueled most often by oil or gas, with a certified
efficiency rating. A small pump circulates heated water through baseboard units,
radiators, or in-floor radiant tubing in each room, where warmth is distributed
evenly without fan noise or blowing air.
Operation is automatic; indoor temperature is maintained at the desired
level, regardless of changes in weather, with one setting of the room
thermostat. Hydronic heat can be arranged in zones to bring the correct amount
of heat to each area of the house, satisfying comfort requirements and
containing energy costs. And auxiliary heating needs, such as domestic hot
water, snow melting or swimming pool heating can be easily met by the hydronic
system.
Hydronic systems offer a host of advantages not found in other types of home
comfort systems:
Economy
Of all natural materials for conducting heat, water is best.
Temperature changes of water can be accurately controlled and measured, so there
is less "over-shooting" of thermostat settings and less wasted heat. And today's
compact boilers, with improved heat-transfer technology, high- efficiency
burners and electronic controls are 30 to 40 percent more efficient than boilers
installed a decade ago.
Comfort
True comfort means being unaware of temperature and
humidity and this is what you should expect from a superior heating system. If
you feel hot or cold spaces or drafts in your home, the heating system is
inadequate by today's standards.
Conventional hydronic systems bring warmth to a room through the unnoticed
flow of warmed air through the room from an enclosed heating surface inside
baseboard units. Heating elements are located along the outside wall, under
windows to counteract chill downdrafts. Even when the flow of water through the
baseboard tubing stops, the heating element continues to disperse its warmth
without the abrupt "on-off"; cycling of forced air systems.
Zoned heat provides the ultimate in comfort the temperature you want, when
you want it, in each part of the house. With individual zone thermostats and
clock control, you can let daytime living areas cool down at night, then warm
them up in the morning just before you get out of bed.
Reliability
Hydronic systems are reliable from the day they're
installed and offer trouble-free service for decades. A few operating components
will need adjustment over the years, or have to be replaced eventually. But the
basic equipment boiler, baseboard units, and tubing is sturdy and reliable. With
only a little attention, a hydronic system provides infallible heat on demand
for many years.
A boiler is not an appliance to be used a few years and then replaced it is
an integral component of the home. And the hydronic system as a whole is
uncomplicated, with few moving parts.
Health
With hydronics, there is no recirculation of air from the
basement or from other rooms, blowing dust, odors, germs or spores throughout
the house. Hydronic heat is a sealed system; it neither adds nor subtracts
moisture in the house, so normal patterns of cooking and washing usually can
maintain proper humidity levels without additional equipment.
Local Expertise
Among the plumbing-heating contractors in your
vicinity, you're likely to find one who is a member of Burnham's Home Heating
Team. This select group of professionals has teamed up with Burnham Hydronics,
one of the largest and most experienced manufacturers of high- quality boilers
and related equipment. You can count on your team member for complete hydronic
system expertise. |
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