The Advantages and Disadvantages of Hot Water Home Heating|

Among home that use a boiler to heat the home, there are those that use steam heat, and those that use hot water heat.

The fundamental difference between steam heat and hot water heat is the temperature of the two systems. A steam heated system, by definition must be heated to boiling point to generate the steam. A hot water system, on the other hand, can utilize hot water heated to a variety of temperatures. The hot water must be drawn through the closed loop circulation via a pump, whereas the hot air flows by its own power once it is generated.

What are the advantages of a hot water heater over a steam heater?

1) Since the hot water heater runs at lower temperatures, it is more fuel conservative than steam boilers.
2) Since the temperature of the hot water is not fixed, the heat coming out of the radiators can vary depending on the need, which is not the case with the steam boiler. When the steam flows, it is coming out at boiling point, and is thus subject to the two extremes of too much heat when it is on at night, and too little heat, when the system is off.
3) Hot water boilers can be maintained on a low flame at night, as opposed to steam boilers which must be kept at a high flame to boil the water.
4) The hot water boiler is small and more durable than a steam boiler.
5) Because they run at lower temperatures, hot water boilers are considerably safer than steam boilers

Heating systems using hot water also have some disadvantages.

1) A direct hot water heating system, provides no ventilation.
2) Because the water temperature is lower than steam , the size of the radiator is proportionally larger.
3) There is a danger of the water in the hot water system freezing, although keeping the boiler on all night can prevent that.
4) A hot water boiler requires more fittings than a steam boiler, and thus more parts that can break. These breakable parts include: a flow check valve, a circulator, an expansion tank and most importantly, a pump.
5) Additional problems, that can occur with both hot water boilers, and steam boilers include: insufficient heating surface, insufficient boiler power, and imperfect circulation.

Thanks to A-1 Plumbing of Baltimore a licensed and insured plumbing contractor company for providing this information. The licensed plumbers at A-1 fix boilers.

Article Source: http://www.articlemarketing.org

A-1 Plumbing of Baltimore is a Baltimore Plumbing Company that provides services for pipe replacement and more

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